Sat
Saturday, Feb. 12, 2005,

Up early to take the dog out, then Spouse made bacon and eggs for breakfast.

After I cleaned up the kitchen, I went downstairs and hit the treadmill to offset the breakfast.

Good workout, but my cheap treadmill doesn't figure the speed/calories like the one at the gym, so I can't give an accurate gym report. As close to the usual as I could get, I guess. But since the Saturday workout is an optional, I'm not too concerned.

Then a luxuriously long shower. Now I'm looking all spiffy and ready to go to the bead shop.

LATER THAT DAY... Oof. We hit the bead store, where I spent an hour happily designing in my head, and picking out different ways to spend my $50 gift certificate. I got several good ideas, and purchased some basic supplies as well (Acculon, Gossamer Floss). Spouse took a walk, smoked an entire cigar, and talked to several people on the phone--and I still wasn't done.

Too bad. I spent my cert, plus another 12 of my own, and finally wandered out, feeling pooped from the bead overload.

After that, we met P, E, and Papa for lunch at a new place in Milwaukee--of Greenfield--somewhere around there. "Open Flame". Wood fired rotisserie and grill. I had minestrone, rotisserie chicken that melted in my mouth, homemade mashed potatoes, and steamed carrots and broccoli. Plus we ordered one dessert, and split it between E, Papa, and me. Warm apple pie with caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream. Too. Die. For. And ridiculously inexpensive. My entree, with soup, was $5.95.

Of course, now I'm as full as a tick, but I don't think I'll be having dinner tonight, so I'm not going to feel guilty. I had too good a time visiting, joking, and just being with my wonderful BIL,SIL, and FIL to feel guilty, anyway.

We hit the Pig to finish the grocery shopping (We did the meat market and the produce market yesterday afternoon), and then came home. Spouse is out taking the dog for her second major walk of the day, and I'm just seizing the moment to update.

A quiet night of puttering and beading ahead, and nowhere I have to be tomorrow, unless we get a wild hair and drive down to see my mom, who is recovering from knee surgery.

I don't think we will, though. I just want to relax and not feel stressed. As much as I love my family, "stressful" defines them.