rainbow

Seeing a rainbow always feels like a special event.

hills are alive

We actually got some rain this winter, and so all the hills below our house are green and beautiful. The trees in the area all started blooming in late January, so it's a beautiful spring. Can't wait to see three cherry blossoms in Japan in a few weeks!

help wanted

An unexpected and repeated job offer is never a bad thing for one's self confidence.

sleeping dog

The smell of a bleary-eyed dog who just woke up.

not a death march

My sister came by for lunch, and we walked down the hill, instead of driving. Alone, it's enough hills that it would have felt like a death march, but with company, it was time to catch up.

ski week

Last week, Bay Area public schools had vacation, and most people go skiing. I love when schools are out, because it does wonders for my commute when all those families leave town.

eating the dogfood

I'll never get tired of the free gadgets at work, which we use in order to "eat our own dogfood" and improve the products. New tablet shows up at my desk today; I have no idea why I was chosen, but I will gladly use it.

chocolate

Surprise chocolate delivery by a friend I didn't even realize is in town! Coming back to my desk yesterday and finding it there was a happy surprise.

like butter

Work thingy I helped plan went smoothly, and my preso was fine. I got to meet some new people, and hung out chatting with folks for a while afterwards. I do like having some social time at work...

old standard

When you make the lentil stew recipe you got when you were in Chile fifteen years ago, and you get the lentils and rice cooked juuuust right.

a is for apple

Perfect, crisp, sweet apple.

sunny saturday

Went into town to pick up some framed photos, and they came with (another) box of Girl Scout cookies! Then, I picked up Boyfriend's favorite kind of bagels and some cupcakes, so we'll have dessert tonight and breakfast tomorrow (after we eat the steak he's making for dinner tonight, which we'll eat while watching a movie about bronies). A good Valentine's day.

next up, namibia

Scratch the Mexico in August plans, looks like we're doing South Africa and Namibia in July, with a layover in Zurich, so that we can say hi to friends and stock up on gummy candy!!

more reservations

Our Japan trip is approaching, and we've been looking at lots of restaurants! Between New York and Japan, March is going to be quite a Michelin star frenzy for us!

overboard

I've bought thirteen boxes of Girl Scout cookies, including six boxes on Thin Mints and four boxes of Savannah Smiles, which I'd never tried before, but are lemony and delicious. Giving away a bunch, because no one should eat that many, but the cookie hoarding instinct is strong...

every day

Henry has had four play dates with three different dogs this week. He has the best job.

better back

All this walking may be helping my back and neck problems.

surprise supplies

Lovely coworker pinged me today saying she has something for me. Turns out she was in Zurich and remembered that I liked gummy candy and picked up a couple bags for me. I love surprise gummies!!

rain is gone

Gorgeous sunny day, perfect for walking across campus for lunch with a former teammate and some extra steps on Fitbit.

back to back

After being cooped up all weekend, Henry had play dates with his two favorite dogs yesterday and today, and he played as if he might never get to play again.

grumpy

Someone (not me) was extremely grumpy all weekend. Good thing we had scheduled friends to come over for dinner and couldn't cancel, so that someone (not me) was forced to talk and smile for a few hours.

better timing

Managed to get a reservation at Eleven Madison Park at 5:30 on a different night, which is so much better than 10.

good night's sleep

Best sleep I've had in a few weeks.

good night's sleep

Best sleep I've had in a few weeks.

quick progress

Have I really lost five pounds in a little over two weeks? My austerity measures may not have to last quite as long as I'd thought.

step miner

Despite only popping outside momentarily for the dog, I managed to walk over six miles today, just pacing around the house. Laziest walk ever.

get it done

I am so glad I taught my dog to pee and poop as quickly as possible on command. It was raining cats and dogs on me and my dog today.

serious reservations

Booking tables for New York. I even woke up at 6 to get a reservation at Eleven Madison Park (and was only able to get a 10 p.m., so we'll have to think about that...), and we're definitely going back to Marea for their incredible pasta and seafood.

rainy day

Rain to break the drought! And it's on a Friday that I'm working from home, so I don't have to drive in it. And it didn't start until right after Henry did his morning business. And maybe I needed a little break from walking so much every day for the last two weeks...

upcoming travels

New York for work (with added perks of friends and for), then Tokyo and Kyoto for cherry blossoms and food (with added perk of first class tickets and Boyfriend's favorite hotel in the world), and an end of year trip to Vietnam and Cambodia (in which we get to try the first class service on Cathay and see if it lives up to the hype). Still to plan, a summer trip to Mexico to see whale sharks, perhaps?

everything in excess

Henry went on all of my walks over the weekend, which means that he also did all of the steep hills (over 70 floors per day). This morning, he refused breakfast, refused to walk, and fell asleep all over the place all day. I never thought I'd wear this dog out, but apparently I did!

In other news, I ordered seven boxes of Girl Scout cookies, because it's that time of year!

sunny days

Everyone else's weather report says cold and snow, and we've got sunshine, 70° temperatures, and all the trees are blooming. Good thing for me, with all this walking...