On Friday, Jbabe (and fiance) had a wine and cheese party. Cdub and D came with me. Also there- 2.0. (No spouse, no boo.) The party was most excellent, and they had really done their research- the pairings were great! We had a really good time.

Saturday, D and I ran errands and then went to see a Hurricanes game. (Capitals 3, Caines 1). Thus, I have accomplished on thing on my 101 in 1001 list this year. I think the easy things are done.

So, on Friday, I noticed an ad for a small store in Cary in the newspaper.  The ad was for a sale on Danskos.  20% off!  So, I went and bought my brown clogs.  (If you look at the flickr pictures, you'll see some of Orion in the clog box.) 

Saturday, I went out to Merchants Millpond State Park with a friend.  We took his canoe, as we could really only take one boat, and the kayak holds one person.  (Note:  I am totally taking my kayak back out there.  Must find kayaking friends.)  The pond is cool, full of duckweed and lily pads.  You have to paddle around cypress and Tupelo gum trees growing in the water.  I did not see a water moccasin, even though I kind of wanted to.  I didn't bring my camera, because, well, canoes can be tippy (we didn't tip), but will the next time.   We saw many turtles (some brave, some not), several great blue herons (my favorite bird), and a red-shouldered hawk.  It's a long trip out there, and next time I'd like to camp.  Who's in?

I cantered today, for the first time since my accident.  (This site has animations of the different gaits of the horse, in case you are unfamiliar.)  I've never felt as secure at the canter as I did tonight.  Heather was even talking about the possibility of riding a Training Level test in a show later this year.  (Currently I am riding Intro level tests.)

I was invited by a friend to attend a yoga class last night.  It was my very first class, and was nothing like I expected it to be.  Definitely a workout!  However, all the muscles that were sore from riding on Monday felt much better afterward.  I would do it again.  Actually, I hope to do it again.

In other news, I thought the bump on my head from yesterday's incident wasn't that bad, but when I came into work, Sara greeted me with, "That's quite a knot you gave yourself!" 

I am very hopeful that MW will be back by next weekend.  So much so that I've ironed the shirt he's planning on wearing to the wedding we are attending on Saturday (well, possibly the wedding I am attending on Saturday.  I had a backup date, but she's informed me she'll be out of town.)  Anyway, because of this,  I spent the weekend cleaning out my closets.  I like to do this about twice a year, but actually hadn't done it since about this time last year.  Result?  8 bags to Goodwill.  4 bags of trash. 1 burnt out paper shredder.

This meant the house was in disarray for about a day and a half.  Jasper hates that.  He spent a good part of the time running around, trying to find a room I hadn't destroyed.  Since only the kitchen and bathrooms lack closets, he didn't have much luck.  (As for the kitchen, I had already cleaned the pantry out.  And the laundry closet.  Refrigerator cleaning scheduled for Tuesday.  Yes, I did write it in my planner.  What of it?)  Thus, when I was making one of my trips to the dumpster, I returned to find him stretched out to his full length, reaching for the latch on the storm door.

I had planned that the closet cleaning would take all weekend, but except for the actual delivery to Goodwill, it was done Saturday night.  Which left time for cleaning the house on Sunday.  And 4 loads of laundry.  And a walk with 2.0.  All finished in time so that I could enjoy Cold Feet with a glass of wine. 

Update on the 101 in 1001:  I've completed 10 items, or slightly less than 10%.

I've been thinking about the list, and have decided that before I get the car (#8), I want to have my house done (i.e. complete #s 3, 4, 5, 16, 17, 18, 23, 32, 33, and 34 first).  I have picked out the couch I want.  (Actually, I also want the matching loveseat and chair.  Possibly also the end tables.)  Now, must start saving. 

I have completed #68, with a little help from my grandpa.

#78 complete.

Today is my 29th birthday.  If you had asked me 10 years ago where I would be today, it is likely that the only thing I would have gotten right would be that I'd have cats.  That is not to say I am disappointed to find myself here; pleasantly surprised is a good description.

There are some things I want to accomplish, and somethings I need to do.  In reading other's blogs, I came across this entry from Jessica, and I liked the concept.  So I am taking that and running.   I am using the following criteria:  The goals must be specific.  Nothing that is really completely and totally out of my hands (e.g. "fall in love" or such things).  Some will be easy, some will be difficult, some potentially life altering, some not so much.  As I complete a task, I'll let you know, and bold said task.

Here, in no particular order, is the list:

1. Donate my old computer(s).
2. Lose the last 15 lbs.
3. Purchase new couch (OK, so I didn't actually purchase it.  But I paid for the van rental.)
4. Purchase new entertainment unit
5. Purchase new end tables
6. Figure out where to store a kayak
7. Buy kayak
8. Buy car with (maybe? leather seats and moon roof) and more cargo room than I have now
9. Start putting money into my savings account with every paycheck
10. Figure out how to print out my pictures in black and white so that I can hang arty pictures on my walls.
11. Clean out closet in computer room
12. Clean out hall closet
13. Visit Erica in Walnut Creek
14. Visit Caroline, Axel, and Corvin in Germany
15. Convince Phoebs to come and visit me (hey, I've been to see her twice since moving to NC.  She's been to see me 0 times.)
16. Learn to sew
17. Make curtains
18. Replace futon mattress
19. Move up to training level in dressage
20. Join the North Carolina Dressage and Combined Training Association
21. Canter
22. Buy a fabulous coat that I can wear through several winters
23. Install second shelf in laundry closet.
24. Make or buy screen to hide the litterboxes
25. Buy more earrings.  Fun ones.  And wear them.
26. Take the PE exam
27. Get a grill
28. Visit the NC mountains
29. Visit Asheville
30. Improve my German
31. Visit the Matisse/Picasso exhibit at the NC Museum of Art
32. Recover kitchen chairs.
33. Finish redecorating bedroom
34. Finish redecorating upstairs bathroom
35. Read Sense and Sensibility
36. Buy a set of flatware for at work (1 place setting only)
37. Also a mug or bowl
38. Learn to make mojitos
39. Get Brown Danskos
40. Take paddling course
41. Take SCUBA course
42. Get tall riding boots
43. And proper dressage clothes
44. Buy new fun socks
45. Visit the Outer Banks
46. Check out the NC Museum of History
47. Switch to Verizon Wireless
48. Clean out linen closets
49. Send out Christmas cards
50. Visit Merchants Millpond State Park
51. Go whitewater rafting
52. Get TRgirl's old bike fixed so I can ride it
53. Show CDub Washington DC
54. Visit the National Museum of the American Indian
55. And the International Spy Museum
56. Organize my tools
57. Learn to drive a stick
58. Tone up my arms so that they look like I have just gotten finished with 4 months of crutches, wheelchair, and going up and down the stairs on my butt
59. See A Clockwork Orange
60. Find a new doctor
61. Replace the boys' scratching post (box?  pad?)
62. Find a better storage solution for socks (the file box in the closet is no longer working.  Also, one of my cats thinks it is a cat bed.)
63. Read The Lord of the Rings again
64. Read The Silmarillion
65. Get more long sleeved work shirts
66. Find an awesome cocktail dress
67. And Fabulous shoes to match
68. Also, new black boots
69. And a really good pair of jeans
70. Get binder to store Day-timer pages in (rather than the current Amazon box)
71. Gym at least 3x per week for three months!
72. Try a yoga class
73. Follow up on my promise that the youth group kids can call me anytime by giving them contact numbers.  (I've stopped going to that church.  Long story.)
74. Figure out how I can become a QA manager
75. Reorganize my files at work
76. Get a new business suit.
77. Clean out the book collection
78. Find the VanCleef and Arpels hoop earrings that I bought in Cozumel (They were in my purse.  For 2 weeks!)
79. Buy a belt
80. Find where they moved my branch of the library
81. Take Orion in for a teeth cleaning
82. Get a second cat carrier (on loan indefinitely from Cool Boss)
83. Go to dentist
84. See a concert at the Alltell Pavillion
85. Go to the State Fair
86. Go to the zoo (new Australia exhibit!)
87. Balance my checkbook
88. See the NC Symphony at Regency Park (again!)
89. Finish my Christmas shopping
90. Visit the Crater in Petersburg
91. Go somewhere that requires a ride on a ferry
92. Visit Biltmore estate
93. Learn to make pizza from scratch
94. Cook a pot of black beans using dried beans as the starter
95. Visit the JC Raulston Arboretum
96. Assuming that the NHL is not shut down forever, see a Carolina Hurricanes game
97. Buy a spring/summer robe
98. Attend a wine tasting
99. Try a martini
100. Attend a Durham Bulls game
101. See a comic at Charlie Goodnights

So, there's the list.  The 1001 days starts today, and ends on September 6, 2007.  If you have any ideas on how I can do any of these things, let me know.