☆paging doctor gorgeous☆

Y'all, I was too confident.

I was on top of the world after absolutely killing Blair's birthday. Downright cocky. As I left for work this morning, I left a big vase of beautiful flowers, a card, and chocolates on the kitchen counter for Blair to find when she woke up. I was sure I was still winning, eager to come home and give her the two gifts I'd gotten her - the ring and the [REDACTED].

I was much too confident.

I come home, hear music. Venture down the hall into the kitchen, and find the vase I left plus another vase of red roses, a heart shaped candle burning, a dish with a chocolate covered red velvet bundt cake and a pair of forks, two crystal decanters, several wrapped presents, and red rose petals everywhere.

I peek into the bedroom to look for Blair and see the bed has been stripped down to just the bottom sheet and covered in rose petals, all our favorite [REDACTED] lined up in a neat row on the night stand.

What a Dark Horse. She is not the sort to really go all out with gift giving, and planning/orchestrating this sort of stuff just isn't her bag. But somehow! Somehow, she did this, and it was incredible. This sort of thing has never happened to me before. What she wrote in the card made me cry. I've never felt so loved and cherished.

We went out for dinner at a local Indian place, and it was wonderful. At home we had wine, ate the bundt cake, and [REDACTED] with the [REDACTED] we got at the local [REDACTED] downtown.

Oh, man.

I hope y'all had a lovely Valentine's Day, or a wonderful Saturday if you don't observe the commercial love holiday.

Oh my god. Oh my gooooood.

I have finally finished my fic for my FTH recipient, polished it off, and posted it. It is done. It is done, at long last. I felt so bad for needing an extension, and I was getting so stressed out about it. I hope that my recipient likes it, and I'm just, like, really glad that I can do other stuff now haha. I stopped signing up for things because I needed to spend every spare moment of time and creative energy trying to finish.

I flop now. Bed time. Work tomorrow.

And then: more Olympics!

So, today was my appointment with my boss for my employee review. Each of us get pulled into a room, sat down, and engaged in discussion about what we're doing well, what needs improvement, how we're doing numbers-wise, potential raises, ect ect.

I was really nervous. Turns out I didn't need to be, though.

I was told that he hopes I stay a long time, because I've been really wonderful to have on his staff, and he loves me. I'm reliable. He has received not one single complaint about me, and in fact, has heard only nice things from both clients and staff. My retention is great; people keep re-booking with me, and my schedule is always full. He says I appear very laid-back, with a good attitude and a personality that is a great match for the business.

Re: areas that could use improvement, he said that as of that moment he could genuinely not think of anything. Even though I've only been there around five months, I'm getting a modest raise and a cut of the year-end staff bonus as a reward for doing so great, even though part-timers like me don't usually get a year-end bonus.

I'm over the moon. It totally set the tone for me to be in a great mood for the rest of my shift. I expected to go in there and be blindsided by all kinds of things I wasn't doing well enough, so to hear that I'm appreciated and that my good work is being noticed was just a really nice feeling.

It's been a fun couple of days!

Thursday morning we got up early, dropped our dog at Blair's parents' house, and headed to Minneapolis.

We stopped at a spot we love on the way, called Norske Nook. Delicious food, and they're well known for their pies. We are a HUGE fan of the potato pancakes and Butterfinger pie.

One long voyage later, we pull up at the Radisson Blu hotel, which is a very modern, fancy place that is directly attached to the Mall of America. You're paying for high class and also the incredible convenience of being able to just pass back and forth between the hotel and the mall without going outside. All the rooms on our floor were recently renovated; it was so, so nice, with some really cool decor and comfortable, upscale rooms. The pool was being renovated and so was unavailable, which was sad, but the rest of it was well worth it.

We spent the rest of the day at the mall, shopping, riding some rides, and playing mini golf. We got Korean corndogs, cream puffs, boba, jerky. There's all kinds of amazing snacks and sweets. We had dinner at the hotel, in a very dim, intimate, fancy restaurant. The food was pretty incredible, honestly.

Friday we got up, packed, checked out, and stowed our stuff in the car so that we could head back into the mall for a bit. We did a little more shopping, and I got my ears pierced! First time. I've had the cartilage on my left ear pierced since I was sixteen, but I literally never have had my ears pierced before. Better late than never! I didn't even feel it. Got Caribou Coffee and Cinnabon before leaving.

After we left the mall, we made stops at World Market and Daiso, then headed home. We got home kind of late, after picking Velma up from Blair's parents.

It was COLD. With the windchill, it was like -40. I thought I would die. My fingers instantly went numb even though I was wearing gloves. I shivered for almost twenty minutes after getting into the car, even with the heat blasting. My lungs hurt. Moisture froze in my eyes and nose. I didn't know it was possible to be that cold.

Additionally... we were concerned about the goings-on in Minneapolis. We didn't see any ICE, or any protests, but there were signs that things were not right in the city. There was beefed up security at our hotel; guards standing by the front door and the check in desk at all hours. There were a lot of stores and restaurants in the mall that were shut down, with signage indicating that closures were due to inability to round up enough staff, or a desire to give employees time off for their safety. A lot of streets around the mall were quiet and empty. There was nonstop news coverage, and you could hear snatches of conversation from the people around. It's awful, what is happening, and our hearts are with the people of Minnesota.

Overall, however, it was a very nice couple of days that we really needed. We came home with lots of goodies - some practical and useful, some purely indulgent.

So, we did not stay in a hotel either before or after our trip.

With the horrible blizzard-type weather and white-out conditions on the road, we needed to leave here at 1:30am. Neither of us got hardly more than three hours of sleep because, you know, our bodies and brains are not used to going to sleep at 7pm. But it was an alright journey, because although conditions were grim, there was no one else on the road at that time except for the snowplows we'd see every so often, or the odd trucker.

We made it to the airport while it was still quiet and sparsely populated. I marveled at the encampments of people sleeping on the floor; the Minneapolis airport is very sleeper friendly and even goes around distributing mats! I didn't know that. We got Dunkin' for breakfast and wandered around looking into some of the shops that were open before departing for our 7am flight, which was quiet and uneventful. I think I managed to fall asleep for an hour or so, in the middle of Parasite. (I'd seen it already anyway.)

We had a nice layover in Seattle, which we used to poke around in more shops and have a meal. There were some live performers in the Seattle airport that were nice to listen to, as well. Our second flight was a mere 38 minutes; I barely had time to knock back my complimentary boxed water.

My parents were of course thrilled to receive us in Pullman. We stopped for a meal on the way to my parents' house, where the dogs and horse were equally as thrilled to see us. Once we were settled, all we really did was sit around. I know we must have eaten dinner at some point but I have no idea when or where, whether we went back out or ate at home. I was so tired that I slept through most of whatever movie they had put on.

The following day, my step dad showed us his workshop, and then took us out and about. We hit this place that is an old warehouse hangar turned massive multi-winged antique shop, where we had a lot of fun sifting through treasures. Blair found a Norse Viking sunstone ring that she really liked, and I snuck back there and purchased it after I had let everyone else wander significantly ahead. I look forward to gifting it to her on Valentine's Day. <3

After that, we had some really awesome pizza, then visited my mom at work. She works at Hobby Lobby, and while I'm not a huge fan of the company, she does get a pretty solid discount, so we picked up a few things I'd been needing for the cake I'm going to make and decorate for Blair's birthday. When we got home, my step dad played some Poker and Blackjack with Blair and I.

That night, my mom had a bit of a breakdown over having lost her wedding ring. We looked everywhere, inside and out, until she figured she must have lost it at work, which was already closed. She had to go back with my step dad in the morning at like 5:30am, when her boss would be there, to go look for it. Luckily she found it in the break room, and all was well.

The next day we played some billiards in my step-dad's garage/workshop thing, which I am apparently slightly better at than expected. We tried to go to a cafe we liked last time, but they were closed. Instead, we had something to eat at this local breakfast stop. All four of us played some cards again, and that evening we went to go see the Rotary Lights. It was sweet. Blair has never experienced an awesome-terrible Jack-In-The-Box taco, so we had dinner there afterward before heading home. The poor dogs freaked out all evening because of the fireworks in the area, and we all kinda went to bed early. I got my midnight kiss, at least.

On New Year's Day, my step dad took us to this local bar/arcade place to play a few rounds of billiards and eat more pizza, and it was really fun. We got coffees after, and then headed home to wait for my mom to get off work. We played more cards all together, and a game called Mexican Train.

The next day, my step dad took us to that cafe we had tried to go to before, this time successfully. After, we got some lunch at Taco Time and then at Blair's request, he drove us around in the hills and valleys along the river, letting us see nature for miles. We all had dinner that night at a place called Zany's (I think) which was a nice time, and then we went for milkshakes after at a place called Sharp's.

And that was it, really. We were dropped at the airport in the early afternoon, and after two plane rides, we arrived back in Minneapolis around midnight and had to make the drive back to La Crosse, getting home around 3am-ish.

While it was a successful trip and it was nice not to have to work or do much of anything other than eat and watch tv and play with animals, I'm glad it wasn't longer. My step dad gets easily frustrated and then veers in the complete opposite direction and gets very drowsy and silly on account of all the weed he smokes for his chronic pain, and my mother is extremely overwhelming with constant anxiety and interrogations. I love my parents but they can be extremely exhausting to be around long term.

Life has returned back to normal post-holiday season. Ho-hum.

Working on finishing up my Fandom Trumps Hate fic that I was forced to ask for an extension on.

Tomorrow, we have to go to sleep at around 7-7:30pm, because we have to leave for Minneapolis at like 2:30-3:00am Monday morning to make sure we reach the airport, park, get through security and make it to our gate for a 6:30am boarding.

However, I keep getting winter storm warning alerts. Apparently beginning tomorrow evening and lasting until noon or so on Monday, there's supposed to be tons of snow, a blizzard, really, and white-out conditions on the highways.

Blair is at her grandma's house for Second Christmas (I couldn't go because I worked until 3pm today and the party began at noon) so when she gets back, I will ask what her opinion is. Strongly leaning toward the idea of setting out for Minneapolis tomorrow afternoon and staying in a hotel near the airport. I don't think she wants to, because we'd discussed that originally just for the convenience, weather aside. But I'm already concerned about making it with enough time to feel comfortable, and we'll have to drive even slower if the weather is as bad as it sounds like it's going to be.

Bleh.

Christmas has been intensifying around here.

Tuesday I tried to write, but then Blair distracted me (in a good way, by being so cute and affectionate) that we ended up leaving to go get some food, which led to us running an important errand while we were in the area anywhere, which led to going shopping at Old Navy, getting cookies at Crumbl, and eventually coming home to watch Christmas movies. I made time to write anyway, while she was in the shower and then after she went to bed.

Wednesday I worked all day and we stared watching Violent Night, which is a Christmas tradition for us.

Yesterday, we got our hair cut and dyed! Mine is now vibrant indigo once more, with a fresh trim. Finished the aforementioned awesome movie.

Today was the Sparta Christmas Market! We got into town early so we could poke around in a few little shops on the main street, and then got there right as the stalls were starting to open. We found lots of treasures, and ate lots of food; brats, potato pancakes, hot chocolate and cider, cheeses and baguettes. They had little bonfires going all over the place, which was good, because it was cold as balls and my toes were honest to god starting to freeze to the point they alternated between numbness and pain.

But I love the Sparta Christmas Market. Last year when I visited for Christmas, in Wisconsin for my first time, it was the first thing Blair showed me. So I'm really glad we got to go again! Plus, we got to visit the lock we put on Lovelock Bridge, which is always very romantic for me because I'm like that.

It's going to be hella busy from here on out. Tomorrow I have to work until 3pm, then I come home and bake a bunch of stuff (some birthday brownies for our friend Emily and the homemade dog and cat treats I plan to give all the pets in the family), then we're going to see the Christmas lights downtown and get eggnog ice cream at the little local creamery.

Sunday we're going to Blair's mom's house to bake; she, her sister and mom always bake Christmas cookies. I will be taking my laptop along so I can sit and finish up my FTH fic while they do that. Afterward is game night with the DnD group.

Monday I work, and while I do that, Blair is having a little holiday get-together with our friends. When I get home from work I have to drop her off at this sleep study lab? She's spending the night there with electrodes stuck to her for a sleep study to try and see if she's got a sleep disorder.

I've got my work cut out for me.

I started watching Pluribus, and I think it's really good! I'm genuinely excited when a new episode drops.

I've also started watching Heated Rivalry. If you like hockey and M/M, wow, are you about to be spoiled. Admittedly, there is more softcore pron than there is hockey, but there it is. There are only three episodes out so far and they have been quite indulgent, plus it's just an enjoyable show, imo.

I wasn't going to sign up for fandomtrees this year, because I still need to finish my FTH fic, but the FOMO was too real. So I've signed up after all, and am going to try my hardest not to fumble it the way I did with the last event.

We had a scare this week with the pup. She hurt herself jumping off the bed, and for the first day she had a limp. By the second, she couldn't walk. By the third, she couldn't even stand. I got a distressed text from Blair while I was at work, telling me that she had set Velma down to potty outside and the poor dog had just fallen over and lain there in the snow. We got in contact with her vet and took her in first thing the next morning, and we waited several hours since we didn't have an appointment, but that was alright. We learned she had likely sprained her wrist joint, and then also she had a pinched nerve that was making it difficult, almost impossible, for her to use one of her back legs. She got put on two kinds of medication, one for pain and the other for inflammation, and she's doing much better.

I am cold. I am freezing. It is 26 degrees right now and that's the warmest it's been all week. It's getting into the negatives already! Thank god I sprung for that good winter coat a couple weeks ago, or I'd be screwed about now. Still, I love the snow. It's really pretty, and this Southern Californian still finds it magical when it's fluttering around out there.

I feel like there's simultaneously so much to post about, but also nothing at all.

Blair and I have been sick. We've been working. Keeping house. Upstairs roommates being unbearable. We got a new building manager, so I've tried my luck submitting a complaint with her and we'll see what happens. Holiday Wishes has really popped off; I'm having a great time trying to fulfill wishes, and people have sent me some lovely things also!

This morning, we had breakfast at a cute place called The Breakfast Club, which is 80's themed inside with decor, music, some arcade games in the back, and all the menu items named after 80's movies. Good stuff.

Working on my Fandom Trumps Hate fic and sweating. It'd due next month, and I feel like I have less and less time to be on my laptop. I'm busy constantly. I'd work on it this evening, but we've got DnD starting in three hours and it'll last until late. I've still got to write the session summaries for the past two, but I need the notes from Blair, who is napping.

There's nothing really new to report. Mostly I'm just existing, and trying to really get and stay in the holiday spirit.

Man, it's been four days and we are both still sick. Worse, not better. It was really difficult getting through my shift today. We're both sitting here coughing and groaning and blowing our noses.

Tomorrow we have to go to the grocery store, because we're out of everything, and we also have DnD. Although Blair said earlier that if she's not feeling a lot better, she might propose that we postpone our session. Honestly? I'd be alright with that.

And on Monday she's supposed to have her friend over for a movie and pizza to celebrate her friend's birthday. Not sure if that will still be happening, either.

We need to buy our plane tickets for the trip we're taking to spent New Years with my parents, but like? With this government shutdown, will there even be any flights? Are there any tickets available anymore as it is, or did everyone panic-buy their holiday airfare? Will we just get canceled anyway? I'm afraid to even look at prices and availability.

I had intended to work on my Fandom Trumps Hate fic, but I can't concentrate on anything. I have no energy. My whole body aches. And holy moly it's cold. "Welcome to the Midwest, everyone says." It's 30 degrees now and the weather app keeps saying it might snow, because it's been raining on and off all day and there could be more precipitation tonight.

I think I am going to take a hot bath and then curl up and watch Frankenstein. Blair's already gone to bed.