Friday Roundup

I was boppin' around the blog and saw a few loose ends that need attention.  So in no particular order of importance:

The story of the duct taped toes.  First off, duct tape is invaluable to the long distance hiker.  It patches holes in tents, backpacks, clothes... it holds boots together, it's used to cinch off sleeves and cuffs from black flies and ticks, and among a thousand other uses, it's used to protect blister-prone, or in my case every time, blister-afflicted toes.  Specifically, my big toes.  This has earned me the unenviable trail name, "Two Toes".  I considered softening the moniker into "T-squared" or "Double-T" but then the underlying meaning is lost and I'm kind'a proud of my brave toes.  If anybody happens to join me on a hike someday, you'll see me around day #3 with a fresh pair of socks and first-aid kit, tending to my feet and carefully wrapping my toes with duct tape.

Back in my old, former job.  Brief summary: I worked in my company's Quality Assurance group for 6 years before allowing myself to be recruited into Production (Quality Control).  After 2 years of that, I was ready to return to QA.  But it was not to happen.  A simple matter of headcount, or lack thereof.  So I brushed off my resume and landed a job with another company.  On my third day at the new place, I receive an email that said, in effect:  Your former QA position has opened up.  We'd love to have you back".  My first reaction: "YAY!"  My next reaction a nanosecond later: "Son of a B*tch!!"  I graciously declined the offer... for about two weeks.  Then I called up with fingers crossed and eyes clenched closed with hopefulness and asked if the offer was still on the table.  It was.  I'm now back in my former-former role and I am happier than ... a clam?  A pig in sh*t?  A bug in a rug?  No wait, rug bugs are cozy, that's right.  Anyway, that the story on that.

(Note: this is not me nor are these numbers close to mine... but they demonstrate a point I tend to forget.  It's NOT all about weight.)

My weight loss anti-progress.  I haven't stepped on the scale in over two weeks and frankly, I'm scared to.  I will, and I will report tomorrow.  But it's going to be ugly.  Now that I'm back at my former/current place of employ and position, I can now jump back on the WW at Work program and again link elbows with my office WW-buddy and resume my lunchtime jogs. That is, once it stops being arctically, insanely, unseasonably, unreasonably cold outside.  Seriously... it's not just an excuse.  The weather is insane here in New England... as it is everywhere lately.  So, tomorrow (still with very little fanfare), I will resume my relationship with the bathroom scale, and perhaps more importantly, the kitchen food scale.  And my running shoes.  And maybe a free-weight or two.  ~snork~

So what else... Uhm... I stopped by the vet yesterday and picked up Mr. Mee-Moo's ashes.  Or to be correct: Cremains.  He's now keeping company in the living room with my girls Charlotte and Waifer.  I'll be looking into some options for incorporating their ashes into jewelry or some other objects I can carry around with me.  Harley the Wonder Dog is doing great.  He doesn't seem distressed or depressed but I believe he notices Max's absence.

...Center shelf...

More fun...

...with Harley...

...The pita dog.