Weathered the Storm

We're just fine, ReaderFriends.

Boyfriend of Amazingness was brought home last night, instead of being kept out of town through the storm.

Also, it turns out that, when power goes away, water doesn't go away with it when you live in a city. So I didn't need my emergency backup water pitcher that I had filled Just In Case.

The biggest issue is that my recycling bin tipped over in the wind, and it took out my garbage can on the way down. But we will rebuild.

Unfortunately... this means that there was work this morning.

But it was fun to read the gratuitous posts on my favorite social media website from friends and family all over the eastern seaboard as they reported survival of the storm.

It's a good day.

I Did It!

I did it, ReaderFriends!

I survived last week.

Against all odds (and my own suspicions...), I made it through the week, was able to enjoy my weekend, and then came out the other side unscathed.

You may remember that I was hearkening back to my pre-vacation stressmonkey self, with all that I needed to get done. But I finished it, and had a wonderful time for all the stress I had inflicted upon myself.

Turns out that the two cloaks I spent Wednesday putting together weren't needed at all, because it was summertime-warm in our little slice of outdoors...*1

Turns out that the costume pieces I wrangled from a wonderful, giving volunteer made the choreographer turn up her nose in disdain...*2

Turns out that wearing a tutu doesn't automatically mean that everyone at the Halloween party will be sober enough to understand that you're a Batman ballerina...*3

But it also turns out that Boyfriends of Amazingness are just happy to have you standing beside them at a Halloween party, a medieval tournament or a dance rehearsal. The stress doesn't really matter.

So today I will get through my workday, get my butt home and sit lazily on the couch with my snugglemonkey stuffy and last night's brownies. I will relish the sound of the rain pattering on the windowpane and the wind whistling through the neighborhood. I will stock up my candles and prepare to bravely handle lost power all by myself*4. And I will relax.

*1 Of course I got the first sunburn of the season on the last Saturday of October. Makes perfect sense.

*2 It's sorted now... but still. There's a principle here. Clear communication is a whole Thing to me.

*3 Costume Jealousy is totally worthwhile here.

*4 Boyfriend of Amazingness has been exiled to the next state south for the duration of the hurricane. It's really quite fantastic... Grumblesnark.

NOTE:

ReaderFriends, please be safe. If you live on the East Coast please exercize caution first and foremost. Stay calm, don't panic and face each stage of this adventure rationally. The storm will be over before you know it.
Important information:
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/10/29/how-to-properly-prepare-for-hurricane-sandy/

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-204_162-57541983/are-you-prepared-for-hurricane-sandy-cdc-has-tips/

And... Check

Remember when I was a wild-eyed stressmonkey right before my summer vacation?

The past week has been more of that... but without the fun 'Going On Vacation' part to look forward to.

See... I'm volunteering my organizational skills as a Wrangler of Wardrobes for a local dance production set to premier its tenth anniversary Christmas show in the middle of December. My home is littered with costume pieces in various states of completion.

And Boyfriend of Amazingness is getting ready to compete this weekend in a medieval tournament wherein he actually has the potential to win the right to crown himself prince - and myself princess - of our fair Kingdom. So my home is also littered with Ye Olde Clothings that I've been rushing to complete so we can look presentable when we make our appearance before the current king and queen on Saturday.

And Halloween is coming up. I cannot be Batman without a little extra assistance in the clothing department.

But I've also got dance classes.

And dates with friends.

And somewhere in my schedule I'm supposed to find time to eat and sleep.

I was feeling pretty frantic.

So yesterday, I got sick.

Not a headcold, but more of a Worry-Yourself-Into-A-Tizzy.

I had been sick to my stomach for days...

And I wasn't sleeping...

And Boyfriend of Amazingness was thinking about having me tranquilized and put in a padded box.**1

So I took eight hours of sick time and got All The Things done.

• (2) Cloaks; created
• (1) Chemise; hemmed
• (3) Costume skirts; assembled
• (2 sets) Costume legs; assembled
• (1) Batman costume; completed
• (1) Boyfriend of Amazingness costume; completed
• Miscellaneous shopping; completed

And to top it off... I folded two loads of laundry before I left for work this morning.**2

So I'm feeling pretty jazzed about how much Ta-Da is reflecting on my To-Do list.

Which can lead me to feel pretty silly.

(I swear, I have a work-related point in here somewhere.)

Which is probably why I erupted into a fit of The Giggles when a client called in to talk to an EngineerFriend, and I said "I'll put you right through."

I imagined myself going all Hulkette and tossing the client straight up through the ceiling and into the cubicle of the person they were calling.

Which led me to this:

Photo Courtesy of Family Guy.

And how can you not giggle when you think of the Kool-Aid Man busting all up through your workplace?!

The EngineerFriends wouldn't know what to do.

(I, of course, would give him a high five and invite him out for a drink.)

**1 If you're reading this, honey... You don't have to deny it. I was thinking about locking me up, too.

**2 Boyfriend of Amazingness does our laundry. From pick-it-up-off-the-floor-where-I-discarded-it-in-a-pre-sleep-shamble to bring-the-laundry-basket-full-of-clean-clothes-back-upstairs-to-the-bedroom. All I have to do is fold it and leave it on the bed, and then we both put our stuff away before we go to sleep. Suck it, Every-Other-Girl-In-The-Universe. He's all mine.

My Kingdom

Sunny:
I was just about to say 'My kingdom for a red Sharpie!' But then I thought 'Hmm... what if I actually had a kingdom?' And then I thought I might get in trouble if I so nonchalantly gave away what you worked so hard to win. And then I decided to keep our kingdom, because I forgot what I needed a red Sharpie for in the first place.

Boyfriend of Amazingness:

You are so cute.**1

**1 That's really a pretty amazing thing for him to say, since I kept him awake all night being a ThrashMonster Bed Hog 6000, and I'm quite obviously suffering the ill effects of exhaustion. But we're not surprised at his amazingness. It is - of course - what he's known for. That and winning kingdoms for his lady.

The Malfunctiony-est Wardrobe

There's one shirt in my closet that I only keep because I have to.

I'm ashamed that I own it.

I don't like wearing it.

And it gives me the heebie jeebies just to put it on.

It's two sizes too big... (I requested a small. In their ultimate wisdom, they decided that I needed a large.)

...and it's not at all a good color for me.

It's shapeless and soul sucking.

But I keep it anyway...

...And today I had to dig it out and put it on.

It only comes out when I'm at the very bottom of my pile of clean laundry, and I'm scrambling to find something to wear on a day when everything I put on makes me feel like I'm wearing a burlap sack.

I already feel icky... so I do the clothing equivalent of kicking myself when I'm down.

I put on the Company Shirt of Shame.

An EngineerFriend complimented me on it.

I'm so ashamed.