Ten on Tuesday

1.  It's only fucking Tuesday????

2.  I do not like living in the Southwest.  I try not to complain too much.  Okay, that might be a lie, but seriously.  It's too hot, and while the mountains and the big sky are beautiful, I miss greenery and humidity.  Neeeeeever thought I'd miss humidity, but it's so dang dry here that my couch makes my arm hairs stand up with static cling.  Awful. 

3.  A perfect bit of down time to me would be this:  It's chilly outside; I have an endless cup of coffee; I'm in a hot bath; no one else is home (not even the dogs); and I'm finally finishing the last 150 pages or so of The Game of Thrones.

4.  The Croat was here last week, and it was wonderful.  I hadn't seen her in two years, and a reunion was much needed.  I swear to Jebus she can read my mind, as she knows me SO well.  And now she knows my kid, which is really cool.  I HATE that we live so far a part, as I do from all my friends (hate all our distances), and I spent the whole drive home being sad and angry after I dropped her off at the airport on Saturday.  I'm a grown woman with a family of my own, but I still need my people.  It's rough out here.

5.  Speaking of friends, I met two ladies in their 60's from across the street.  Apparently they do a ladies' lunch once a month with other women, and said they'd invite me.  So, my new bff's may be women older than my mother. 

6.  Maddie whined a lot today.  A lot.

7.  She's walking more regularly inside now.  We're trying to get her used to walking outside and in shoes.  I spent $40 to get her a good, supportive early walker shoe, so her foot and the way she walks continues to develop appropriately.  I spent about $35 on another pair for her today.  Never thought I'd be spending that much on a shoe for her at this age, but whatever. 

8.  My hair is long.  Too long.  It hit me today that I've started wearing it in the same style as Amber from Teen Mom.  You know, up high on top of my head.  That realization hurt my soul, even though I do wear it better than Amber.  Since I trust no one here to cut my hair, I've gone ahead and scheduled with my old stylist in Rolla for when we're home next month.  Chopping.it.off.

9.  We're going to Rolla next month.  I'm having PTSD from a combination of our trip there last Christmas and Maddie's flight here over the summer.  The horror. 

10.  I would like to take a vacation, either by myself or just with Joe.  Turns out that's fucking hard to do, and even with four sets of parents, we hardly have anyone to watch our kid.  It actually makes me mad at the family.  Maybe that's not fair, but if my kids have kids, I will make sure to be around and handle the cost.  I know what it's like to need a break, for the sake of being a good parent and partner.  My best hope is that we move to Missouri next summer and can leave Maddie with my mother in law.  But then I feel an hour and a half away from two sets of parents is almost too close.  Twelve hours was good.  Twenty hours is too far.  I'd take four to six hours.  Hmm.