I'm engaged

So, if you don't already know, I'm officially engaged now. Sorry to not call/tell everyone individually, but that gives me anxiety. Family members, feel free to share with oher family members who might not see my blog.

Anyway, Todd and I have been together for 7 years now, and we decided it was time to go ahead and get married. Shocking, I know. We decided to do it a few weeks ago and I went ahead and told Mom and Dad, but I felt weird telling people about it until we had a ring. I don't know why, I guess I'm a weirdo. I still feel weird about telling people, which is why I'm doing it electronically. :)

Anyway, we picked out a ring that I really like and that Todd likes, too. He was pickier about it than I expected him to be, but that's cool. I'm not a huge fan of diamonds, so we went with an aquamarine stone. Believe it or not, it's actually really hard to take a picture of a ring, so I hope that these ones will do. The one on the website we ordered it from was much better, but I guess this was the last one they had in stock, because right after we ordered it, it disappeared from their website.

Anyway, today I went and had the ring resized. I had called a local place earlier in the day and got an estimate for how much it would cost. The guy seemed like he knew what he was talking about and said he'd been in the business for 28 years, so I decided he was as good a person to go to as anyone. I was really shocked when I went into the place, because it had all the usual display cases, but they were all empty. At the back of the display area there was a big open space with a concrete floor and a cluttered workbench, various tools, etc. I was kinda laughing at how weird it was when the owner, who was kinda hairy and greasy, acknowledged me.

He remembered me from the phone and I kinda thought I was the only person who had called him all day. He still seemed like he knew what he was talking about though, so I gave him the go ahead. When he told me it would be 10 minutes, I kinda wish I had said I would go look around in the store next door, but instead I took a seat. I did notice a case that had some different rings in it (labeled with the names of the designs, sizes, etc), which held my attention for a couple minutes. I decided he must mostly make jewelry by request, but it was still really weird having all those empty cases. He was sitting behind his desk, whirring away with this machine and that one. After awhile he stood up and dunked my ring in some sort of machine to clean it or treat the white gold, I know not. Then, he picked up a gatorade bottle that had water (I think) in it and poured some of that in the machine.

After awhile he got the ring out and, I kid you not, washed it off in a drinking fountain he had back there. He did some more dipping, some more rinsing in the drinking fountain, etc, until he was happy with it.

He did a good job and I would probably go back to him, but that 10 minutes seemed like an eternity. It did make me laugh, though. I don't know what that guy is thinking. He was complaining about the economy and being stuck in America (I'm not sure where he's from, but he did have a thick accent), so I kinda wanted to be like, "you know what might help with that...."

Anyway, Todd and I haven't really discussed any of the details for the wedding yet. We're planning on doing it next summer and it will probably be in Georgia. We'll let you know once we decided the rest!

Nightmares

I'm having a terrible day today. It started off alright. I was working this evening, so I slept in late, had my tea, and did a few things on the computer. I got ready for work and I was feeling pretty good. I had a second cup of tea ready for my drive to work and I was ready to step out the door, running just a touch late, but with enough time to get to work right on time. Only thing left to do was to put a lid on my travel mug. It's a corn "plastic" mug and sometimes the lids are little snug, but they are bendy and fit when forced, so I gave it a big push. Suddenly, there was a loud splash and I was soaking wet. The lid had gone completely into the cup. So, through my tea soaked glasses I found my way to the bathroom, quickly washed off my face and ran a little water in my hair. I had to change my clothes, fix my hair and clean up the counter, floor, and cabinets. I think I did pretty well getting to work 5 minutes late.

Immediately after I got to work I had to go to a big meeting. I won't go into the details here, but for various reasons it was a stressful meeting and by the end of it I felt like crying. I'm doing better now, but I still have to stay here for another 3 hours and I want to go home! My lunch break will be over in 15 minutes and then I'll have to leave my little cocoon of an office and I don't want to!

Anyway, in other news... here are a few reoccuring nightmares I have. Points go to the best dream interpreter.

#1 I've had this dream since I was about 10. I am behind the wheel of a car and I don't know how to drive very well. I am careening around and out of control. I really lose control and end up hitting something. For years I thought the dream would go away once I actually learned how to drive, but it didn't. I've had this dream so many times that sometimes I forget that I've only had one at fault accident, and it was just a minor fender bender.

#2 I am eating meat. Either it looks good to me and I go ahead and eat it even though I know I am a vegetarian or I'm just really unaware of what I'm doing. Afterwards I have the same kind of "what have I done" feeling a normal person would have in a dream where they just ate their best friend. This dream totally confuses me sometimes. I have to think back and remember that there are a few times I have accidentally had a mouthful of meat and several times I have accidentally had some meat byproducts in this thing or that thing, but I really haven't ever "slipped" up and ate meat. Not once in 13 years.

#3 I started having this dream very soon after I started working at a library. It is closing time. Sometimes I'm at a weird library and sometimes its my own library. We make our announcements and people start leaving, but there are a few people who just aren't budging. Then, some sort of forgotten side door opens up and people are pouring in. I get one person to leave, but they seem to be replaced by three new people. I am going around to everyone I can see and telling them, "We're closed, that open door was a mistake. Really, you have to leave." But there are always new people. The library seems to expand as the dream goes on, with more and more nooks and crannies with people in them. It will be two o'clock in the morning, but I still can't get the people to leave.

And there you have it. Thoughts, anyone?

It Happened Again

(With teary eyes) I'm sorry, but we can't find the book about Outdoor Fireplaces that said it's supposed to be here. Can I interest in you in Google Images?

I feel confused.