Biking Eklutna Lake

After WEEKS of nasty, rainy weather, we finally had a decent weekend. On Friday after work Leigh and I went bicycle shopping. Until now we've both been riding bikes we bought on Craiglist, each for about $75. Leigh's is a cheap Mongoose, the Walmart kind, and mine is an ancient Schwinn that was probably pretty valuable back in the mid-1900s but is clunky and ill-fitting for me. First we went to Chain Reaction Cycles, a local Jamis dealer, so I could order my Bosanova. After checking out the standover height on the Bosanova, the cross-bar might be a little bit tall for my 28.5" inseam, but it should be a good overall fit regardless. The staff were friendly and helpful and ordered my bike without hassle. My bike should be in by Friday or early next week!!! Then we went across the street to Paramount Cycles to find a nice hybrid for Leigh. There were a few options and luckily one of them was on sale within Leigh's price point. She went home with a Giant Roam 2, a nice all-around bike with far superior components than any bike she's owned before. It seems like a good fit, but I might raise the stem of her handle bars a little bit and see if that makes for a more comfortable ride.

We celebrated our purchases of new toys by checking out nearby Sushi Garden. The restaurant was suggested to Leigh by a co-worker and it did not disappoint. We decided to sit at the bar to watch the chefs work their magic. When we sat down a friendly chef handed us water and a free miniature deep-friend concoction that served as a nice, heavy appetizer. I'm not entirely sure what it was, but I saw a mushroom under the tempura batter and it was delicious in the sauce it came with. We ordered two specialty rolls at about $14 each. Pricey, yes, but the rolls were massive and had high quality ingredients. Along with the free taster we were both comfortably full while saving room for a scoop of ice cream (I got the fat free, no sugar added version of something that could have been a delicious chocolate ice cream, but alas...) on the way home.

Saturday was pretty nice outside, but Leigh and I felt compelled to spend it running errands and such. We went to the Spenard Farmers Market to grab some produce. Cannelle the Puppy went with us, but she was pretty bratty and tried to eat everything in sight, even a strip of rubber she found on the parking lot. I had to dig in out of her throat before she swallowed it. After a Costco run, we took Cannelle to Kincaid Park for some serious fetching. Her behavoir improved by 80% for the next 24 hours after 30 minutes of sprinting around the stadium after a tennis ball. When we got home I took Leigh on a bike ride to show her the route from our house to her office, just in case she decides to become a bike commuter.

Sunday was absolutely beautiful, so we put the bikes in the car and drove north to the Chugiak area to bike near Eklutna lake. This camping/hiking/biking/general outdoor fun area is part of the Chugach State Park, so we had to pay to park but the facilities are well-kept. We decided to bike Eklutna Lake Trail, which more or less parallels the glacier-made lake from end to end for about 12 miles.

We stopped a few times to work out the kinks in Leigh's new bike and stopped once for about 20 minutes to take in the scenery.

The route was a little more rugged than I was used to after months of riding the paved trails around Anchorage. It was mostly packed dirt and gravel with tons of potholes and muddy areas. In all it was a great opportunity for Leigh to practice riding her bike in various types of terrain.

We took it slow since neither of us had ever ridden this route before. Around mile 8 Leigh said she was tuckered out and was ready to head back. We had planned to ride the whole 12 miles out and back, but it was a much more difficult trail than we'd expected, so I didn't mind turning back either. The trip back was much faster, of course, and by the time we got to the car we were both pretty tired.

I didn't really start feeling tired until we were about 10 minutes down the road. Then the hunger set in, big time. That morning we'd had a light, healthy breakfast of egg whites and turkey bacon, so my body was ready for some fuel. When passing through Eagle River we both caved and decided to check out Garcia's Cantina, another restaurant suggested by a co-worker at Leigh's office. These people really know their food, because it was amazingly good. We ordered from the lunch menu, but it was still a large portion. The salsa was particularly good. Unfortunately, this meal caused me to gain about 2 pounds overnight, so I'll be eating lightly this week until I see my weight get back to normal.

After the day of biking and eating we were completely drained. By the time we got home Leigh had decided to take a nap, at 5pm! We relaxed for about an hour and then decided to get up and prepare for our week. I made a huge pot of jam (which I need to can this evening) and some eggplant pate to snack on this week. So yeah, we were busy! I'm really proud of us for doing so much and making so much of this beautiful week, but I am sore and tired today! I still managed to bike to work this morning, but my legs protested the whole time. My commute from home to the courthouse is just over 4 miles. Yesterday I think I learned that I hit my stride around 10 miles. The good news is that when I do longer rides I'll hit a nice stride within the first hour. The bad news is that every time I commute to and from work my will is going to argue with my muscles, but I guess that's how it always is with exercise, right?

Alas, my denist appointment awaits.... le sigh....

The Lifting Fog

This week has been very pleasant so far. I can't believe how carefree and generally content I've been feeling the past few days. After a tough summer, I think things are finally starting to clear up. Without getting into unnecessary detail (because the 1-3 of you who read this blog sometimes already know) it boils down to: the house purchase, a death in the family, Leigh's illnesses, my health scare, getting a new puppy, moving, having a subletter, work, and preparing to change jobs (sort of). It was a lot to deal with. Even after the house business was settled and Leigh's health was looking better and my test results were promising, I was still feeling a bit drab. Nothing was making me really happy. Maybe I just felt like a little kid whose summer had been stolen from her.

Well, the house is really starting to look good. We've finished painting the interior and our pictures are on the walls. Leigh and I both feel well every day. We are enjoying our jobs and our friends. We are happy when we get home from work to find our kitty and puppy waiting for us. In the near future we have such joys awaiting us as a Labor Day cabin and hiking trip, early winter camping on the Kenai Penninsula, and friends and family coming to visit. All of these little joys together have pushed away the feeling of funk leaving me a generally contented person. We love living here, we love our house and our pets and we love each other. These things indicate that we are honestly very happy.

When people think of happiness, especially in American culture, maybe we think that incredible, intense joy and excitement is required to consider oneself happy. No one can feel joy all the time and those who do are probably in denial or blind to the world's problems. That doesn't mean we should stick our heads in the sand to avoid the problems or take pride in feeling raw pain and suffering to acknowledge those problems all the time. Instead, I'm finding that I am most aware of my happiness when I am calm and generally optimistic, but still aware when things aren't going well. The difference is that most of the time I will feel that things are going very well, but when I experience a setback it's less devastating. I can deal with the setbacks reasonably, work through them and then acknowledge when that time has passed.

This sense of calm has caused some slight changes in Leigh's and my general outlooks. Until we moved to Anchorage, and until fairly recently, we were homebodies. We rarely made dates with friends and almost never invited people over. Whether this was laziness or shyness, I don't know, but it was uncommon for us to socialize much outside of our school/work acquaintances. Now it's become commonplace to have friends over for coffee or dinner or just to stop by the see the progress on the house. We've also met up with friends at restaurants around town or for hikes. Now we're making plans to have more friends over for dinner and to go on a dual camping trip with another couple and their puppy, who happens to also be Cannelle's best friend. I think we're finally settling into a life somewhere, a life that we love and want to share with others.

Yesterday evening we hosted a simple dinner for a couple we are friends with while our puppies played in the yard. It was fun to spend the evening chatting and unwinding. About an hour after they left, Cannelle was passed out on my lap. It was a great way to spend the evening. Today after work I have a women lawyer's social gathering and tomorrow Leigh and I are going bicycle shopping! This weekend we've planned to bike a trail in the Mat-Su valley that ends at a glacier. We'll also have to take Cannelle on a hike to test out her new no-pulling harness. As long as the weather holds out, I expect the next few days to be great! Then, next weekend, we're going on a mini vacation to Hope, AK. Fun!

Bicycle Love

Hello friends.

I have been a most delinquent bike rider this year. My excuses are as follows: a difficult summer, very icky weather all around, and sharing one car with Leigh with our only parking space being at my office while also having essentially the same commute. These factors just don't translate to my getting up a smidge earlier to ride my bike into work. This will change soon, however, as we are only moments away from being completely moved out of the old apartment and almost completely settled into the new house, thereby reducing my after work errands significantly. Also, Leigh is now the proud owner of a new car and a shiny new parking space at work, so we no longer need to use my garage space at the courthouse. I'm thinking my old Schwinn is looking like she's ready for a few early morning commutes before the snow hits. Then, who knows, maybe I'll deck her out for some snow riding- studded tires and all.

All these bicycle thoughts have reminded me how much I want a new bicycle. My Schwinn was an $80 Craigslist purchase. She has served me well this past year, but I won't be sad to replace her with something more comfortable and more suited to my needs. Right now I spend most of my riding time on fairly well-groomed trails and roads, but I have my heart set on some serious long haul rides starting next spring (now that I've got my health issues under control). Initially I had plans to buy the Jamis Bosanova, a great unisex touring bike with all the bells and whistles I can afford (this will cost me roughly $1200 when all is said and done). The rest I'd add on aftermarket (like extra racks and panniers). My hope is to order this baby during the break-up next year so it's in my hot little hands by the time the trails are clear of ice.

But yesterday I discovered Sweetpea Bicycles out of Portland, Oregon and I haven't been able to think of much else since. They have two lines: LUST (more or less ready to ride bikes that they measure to fit you) and LOVE (100% custom bikes). These bikes aren't cheap, starting at $1,800 for the most basic LUST bike. The LOVE bikes start around $4,500 and take almost 3 years to receive. So basically buying one of these babies is a big deal. I thought I MIGHT get one in 3-5 years when I have a better job, etc. Then I read the fine print.

To order a LOVE bicycle (i.e. you dream bike) you just need to put $500 down and wait your turn. Then you don't pay the remaining balance until it's finished. So basically I'll have 3 years to save up the rest of the money. Hell, in 3 years Leigh's car will be halfway paid off and I will have been in my new job for 2 whole years. I'll be a completely different person with a completely different budget. All I need is $500, a dream, and an idea of what I want. SOLD! The best part of all is that Leigh says she doesn't mind me doing this. I can even plan to buy the Bosanova in the spring and ride it while I wait for my Sweetpea! I have the best wife in the whole wide world. I suppose if you think of it as my primary mode of transportation and exercise it kind of evens out. Plus I told Leigh last week that I have no plans to buy a new car anytime soon since mine is only 5 years old and paid for. Buying these bikes is my replacement of buying a new car (which I'd imagine a lot of new lawyers do when they get their first real job).

Now let's get to the bike porn:

Couplers: it's a hinge that allows you to FOLD your full-sized bike frame in half so it fits in a suitcase. A bike with couplers can go anywhere with you in the world without paying extra airline fees. My bike will have couplers ($600 add-on) so I can take in on vacation with me anytime I check a suitcase.

This is the Little Black Dress. A great road bike that can be dressed up or down. It's the model they're becoming famous for.

The farmer's market (a custom bike). I knew I'd like this company when I saw this bike.

The HW Jr. This bike is very similar to what I want- designed for long hauls and complete with couplers. The owner of this bike took it to the Paris-Brest-Paris this year. SO JEALOUS! Amazing! I imagine taking my custom bike (with couplers and disc brakes and purple paint) to Europe so I can cycle while vacationing, or to Asia so I can cycle around the countryside, or just to the East Coast when visiting family so I can cycle the rail trails I grew up on. It's amazing how one nice add-on feature can change the functionality of a piece of equipment and your outlook on everything you do. Of course, traveling with a bike like this is going to require some mega insurance just in case.

So that's my current obsession and I'm so super excited to get started. It'll be so much fun to help design the bike and so satisfying to receive it after 3 years of waiting. In the meantime, I'm still stoked to order my Bosanova to get me started in randonnée rides. But for now, I'm going to look forward to riding my Schwinn (and my nordic skis) this winter.

Pre-Friday

Today is Thursday or, as I'm going to start saying, Pre-Friday. I'm really living for the weekends these days.

We've had terrible weather here lately, so yesterday I broke down and took Cannelle to puppy day camp at PetSmart. I also signed the stinky girl up for a bath and to have her nails done. When she came home she was in the weirdest mood! She wanted to stay in the yard all evening and wasn't interested in her daily cuddles. When we finally coaxed her inside for some hugs she got a little upset with us for touching her paws. It turns out that she did not enjoy having her nails filed by the PetSmart employees (according to the receipt). After giving it some thought, I'm sure that some dogs just don't enjoy the nail filing process, but it's also possible that the employees weren't as loving with her as I am when I groom her. She may have been a little upset with the process in general. So I will try to do her baths and grooming myself from now on. As for her nails, I'll just have them trim her the old fashioned way from now on to avoid future upset. Otherwise I think she really enjoyed the puppy camp! She was completely exhausted from playing all day and in good spirits after settling in. We will probably send her once a week or so, especially during the winter months, to make sure she gets plenty of socializing and exercise all year round.

Anyway, it was a fairly uneventful but also somewhat eventful Thursday. I got a lot of stupid little tasks done personally and professionally. I even found a new dentist and fired my old one (at least in my head) when his office manager was a total bitch in court today. I don't want to do business with people like that. Of course, I can't say anything to anyone about it, but I can cancel my future appointments and take my business elsewhere, so I did. Better yet, the new dentist I found fit me in about a week from now, is literally 2 blocks from my office, and is a woman, so that makes me happy. Leigh and I like to give our business to women professionals if we can.

Tonight we have plans to move a couch from our old apartment to the new house. This, along with some odds and ends, will truly be the last thing we have to do with the apartment (aside from replace a few lightbulbs). The last thing I want to do after work is move furniture, but it'll be nice to not have to worry about these things this weekend. Maybe I'll even have time to go hiking (*gasp*) or ride my bike or something fun like that. Or maybe I'll just buy a new iPod to replace the one that's totally dead now. Listening to Alaskan radio in my car every morning is getting old....

Earlier this week I had a great meeting with a partner at a smaller local firm. Nice guy, hard working, easy to talk to and from New York. The whole thing got me thinking about what I want to do next (not that I don't think about this all the time anyway) and it opened my eyes a lot. It's to the point now where my only stipulations on applying for a position are that it be for a private, civil practice somehow related to business. Broad category, no? But it's such a relief to feel comfortable with so many scenarios because it opens me up to lots of opportunities AND it leaves my future more unknown (inconnue, if you will). At this rate I'll be considering opportunities in Big Law, mid-sized regional firms, and even small local firms.

It also looks like there are many more civil firms with a business or corporate practice than I originally thought. This means I could be working on contracts, mergers, Native Corporations, etc. Practicing law in Anchorage is looking better and better and I can't wait to see what it gets me.

Tuesday Ickiness

Over the weekend Leigh and I took the Cannelle puppy for a hike. We didnt' get very far because the puppy started to whine a little from being tired/lazy and my stomache started flipping over on a regular basis. A few times I had to stop and wait to see if I needed to vomit. I didn't, but it made the hike less fun nonetheless. Then yesterday I was fine all day until about 3pm and the ickiness started to set in. My joints were sore, my throat hot, my tummy upset. There was no explanation at all. I went to bed at 8:30 and slept through the night. This morning I wasn't feeling great either, but it wasn't enough to keep me home from work. I've been drinking juice, tea and water all day and chewing vitamin C tablets to boot. Hopefully whatever this is will pass because nothing stinks like feeling sick in the Summer.

Today is also Day 2 of being completely alone in my big, cold, empty office. I've been flying solo working for 10 judges since the end of July and then hosted an intern in my office until last Friday. It's nice that things are quiet, but it's just making this very long transitional period even longer. I'm not a patient person and I'm not really enjoying this time either, so the sooner September 1 (and my new office/clerkship) rolls around the better.

So anyway, I'm getting my work done slowly but surely and just waiting for the days to pass. This weekend we might go to Hatcher Pass for some hiking and camping, but only if the weather is nice. Otherwise who knows. It's a shame to waste summer days, but there's no point braving shitty weather and being miserable all weekend. I suppose if we're stuck at home we can finish putting the house together, hanging pictures and the like.

Well, I should really make a dent in the growing pile of shit work on my desk and get ready for my afternoon meeting.

Future Thoughts

For some reason I can never stop thinking about what I want in the future. Not to say that I'm incapable of enjoying the moment, but each sliver of boredom inevitably leads to daydreams about plans: in 2 weeks, in 6 months, next year, in 5 years, when I'm old.

The good news is that I'm once again comfortable having the "when I'm old" daydreams because I recently got great news from the doctor! My blood chemistry is "almost completely normal" after a month of medication and careful dieting. Of course, I have to continue both therapies (meds and dieting), but it looks like I have a fighting chance of living a long time.

Things are going well for Leigh and I right now. We've recently had a lot of little triumphs and excitement. First and foremost, we bought a house this year. This is HUGE! If you'd asked me last summer if I thought I'd own a house in Anchorage I'd say, "Are you crazy? Have you seen my clerking salary and the cost of real estate in Alaska?! No freakin' way!" But yes, it all worked out, and Leigh and I now have a cute little house that will serve as a cozy home for now and an investment later. We couldn't be more pleased. Leigh also has a job, a really good one that she likes and can take her places. We like where we live, meaning we BOTH like it, and we're now mommies to a puppy and our trusty Juneau Cat.

Things are good, but I'm getting bored with work. My current clerkship ends in about 2 weeks, then I start another, very different, clerkship. My workload will be higher and I expect I'll be supervised more closely. I've been warned there will be some Saturdays and many evenings. The good news is these things add up to more cash value for unused vacation, the bad news is that I'm still earning a small salary for a lot of work and the work is pretty much the same as I'm doing now: legal research, writing memos, writing orders. Nothing wrong with writing, in fact it's the backbone of my profession, but I sometimes wonder when the day will come that I get to sit in on a meeting and strategize with other attorneys. I'm waiting for the day when I get to negotiate for something instead of always having to be so reasonable and so even-minded.

So I start daydreaming. It's too risky to daydream about my next job because these things NEVER turn out the way you think they will. I can only hope I wind up working on civil issues (preferably in the private sector), the rest is up to the employers. But I can daydream about the rest of my life. I read a quote about lawyers working abroad that said, "you can be the captain of your ship." That's what I want: the opportunity to set my own course.

So I told Leigh today that, assuming I have some luck finding work after my second clerkship, we need to just plan to "retire" really early. In my wildest dreams I'd imagine spending some years in Europe, first to attend an international business program then to work a bit. Then I'd want us to live in Southeast Asia for a while. We could work a bit and rent out our house in the US. After that, maybe Latin America? We could see the world, have a wonderful work-life balance, and enjoy the fruits of our labors (working our way through school then living sensibly and working a lot as young adults).

Now "retirement" for me can mean any number of things: working part-time, going back to school, consulting, working for an NGO, teaching in some capacity, contract work, or not working at all. It really depends on my financial situation and level of boredom. Leigh has expressed an interest in either not working or being transferred to an overseas location of her current job. These things can happen. Leigh is really on-board with the idea, which I also would not have beleived if you'd asked me a few years ago!

So now we have to buckle down back to reality. I have another year of clerking left and a marathon of job searching to do during that time. It'll likely be one of the more stressful times in my life because, well, this job search is the one that really counts. Then I can focus on closer things: creating financial stability, taking a real vacation, maybe starting a family. If we keep these goals in mind then this dream can come true. If not, well, I'm sure we'll let it evaporate in favor of another dream that we haven't even come up with yet.

Hey Juneau, you left your rainy weather in Anchorage!

We are having some seriously icky weather here in Anchorage. While I know it's a myth that rainy weather makes people ill, I'm pretty sure this wet and coldness can be blamed for my scratchy throat and lack of energy. Monday I was feeling really rundown and failed to sleep well that night. No idea what the problem is, but by Tuesday I was about at my wit's end, so I did the most sensible thing and went to bed at 8pm. Nearly 12 hours of sleep, even if I did wake up a few times, really did the trick. Today I'm feeling a lot better, though not certain that whatever ickiness I have is completely gone. I'll have to continue fighting it with lots of hot tea and tasty, healthy treats. For example, I've been craving scones and jam like nobody's business, so sometime this weekend I'll make whole grain scones with dried fruit to serve with hot tea. Yummmm....

This dreary weather makes me want to run away. I'm back to daydreaming about future trips, the sights, the food I'll enjoy, visiting friends near and far. Today I even started to miss my last semester of law school when I was in Manhattan. The reason? So I can get Halal food from a street cart! Good think I have family in and near NYC so when I just can't take it anymore I can hop a plane (or two) and visit.... In the meantime I'll just have to trudge through my work week and then do a little shopping. That always lifts my spirits, at least temporarily...

Cannelle the puppy dog isn't quite herself, once again. The first week we had her she developed a UTI. Antibiotics did the trick, but now she's having similar problems again. Poor baby. We've set her up so that she has access to water and puppy pads all day long. Hopefully whatever she's suffering from will pass on its own. If not, it's back to the vet for poor little Cannelle....

Juneau Cat is doing great in the new house. She has her designated cuddle times, usually when the puppy is playing in the yard and at bedtime. She also has a perch at the top of the stairs where she can watch the goings-on of the house in a very non-commital, cat-like way. She is the most perfect little companion and has put up with so much from us!

On the human health front: Leigh and I are both doing really well! Compared to the state we were both in about three weeks ago, I'm very proud of us. Leigh has been eating normally and has her energy back and I've been eating carefully about 80% of the time and have held my weight steady (10 pounds lighter since my diganosis!). I'd like to lose another 10 lbs before Christmas, so hopefully I can break my current plateau weight and start losing again. When ski season comes around I'll burn more calories everyday and tone up from playing in the snow. I want to lose the weight at a steady but slow pace so it stays off instead of fluctuating like it normally does. Most importantly, I'm hoping my blood tests come back with some positive changes to help guide my way to good health.

Getting Well and Catching the Travel Bug

This year has been a tought one for Leigh and I. We moved to Alaska with high hopes and a low bank account, set up house in a tiny apartment for nearly a year and then decided to buy a place. The new house is great, but with every step forward in life there is usually some hardship. Obtaining the house itself was no small feat, and this summer has been wrought with loss and stress. Leigh lost her father suddenly in May and she and I are both learning of some medical problems we've had for sometime but are just now learning about. In short, it's been a tough summer, not at all what we would have imagined a year ago, but we're getting through it one day at a time.

Today I took Leigh for a round of tests at her doctor's office. This trip was much-anticipated and yielded the expected results. We are hoping she'll find herself on the path to recovery and a better quality of life very soon. As for my test results, well I haven't heard anything back from my doctor yet, but it usually takes him about a week to call or write. I hope to hear from him soon though because I've used up my 30 supply of meds and would like to know what the game plan is from here on out. Hopefully, with some diligence, we'll both be on the mend and able to make long term plans very soon.

On a happier note, we've started zeroing in on some fun activities for the remaining warm weather. Right now we're planning to do some camping in Homer, AK in about two weeks. I think we will just load up the car and go, then find a camping spot when we get into town. Knowing me, I'll break down at the last minute and make some calls to get a sense of how crowded each camping ground is before we start driving. I just can't leave ANYTHING up to chance, can I?

We are also renting a cabin in Hope, AK for Labor Day. I made these reservations months ago (see above) and have been looking forward to it ever since! We're excited to take the puppy hiking and enjoy a campfire and some reading time. It should be relaxing and a nice break from "big city life" (as Alaskans tend to refer to Anchorage).

Speaking of trips and such, we are already super excited about Christmas this year. We've bought all of our plane tickets already and are making a game plan to have plenty of spending money for our 10 days off! We're flying into Orlando, then from Jacksonville to Virginia, then back to Anchorage. We'll get to visit Harry Potter world, my brother's family in Florida and maybe even walk on the beach, and then visit Leigh's family in Virginia for holiday dinners and relaxation. We're so excited to spend time with family and make time for some real vacation activities too.

This trip got us thinking about future trips. I decided a few weeks ago to take a solo trip before my second year of clerking ends. In the end I decided to fly to Europe on Condor in May 2012, visit a few new cities and some friends I made last year and spend a few days at Taizé. I'll likely couch surf most of the time and just enjoy wandering around a few European cities on my own. Plus, singing and praying with the monks is always a great way to spend a few days. This should be a great trip!

Then I got to thinking about how Leigh won't be able to go anywhere for a long time. She's had to take so much time off due to illness and family emergencies that it'll be over a year before she can take time off without owing it back. Then I started thinking about how much fun I had that last time I visited the UK and that Leigh is always saying she'd like to go there. Then it hit me, Christmas in the UK! Leigh got on board with this idea right away. We'll fly into London, visit some friends and see the sights, maybe take a side trip to Oxford or Manchester, then take the train to Scotland to Edinburgh and Glasgow. I'm also planning to see the Highlands in some fashion, either on our own or on a guided bus tour. It'll be cold and dreary, but isn't the UK ALWAYS cold and dreary (*wink*)? Regardless of weather, we'll enjoy the atmosphere, the food, the sights and the history for about two weeks.

Well, I guess I've been daydreaming a year ahead for long enough now. I really should focus on today some more. Work has been busier than normal and home has been so busy I can hardly catch my breath! Back to work so I can run home and finish up a few projects...