How I Spent Last Week

*Saw our first rainbow at the new house


*Had our first snow at the new house


*Had our second snow at the new house


*Looked up the symptoms of swine flu. My sickness matched up very well. I didn't go to a doctor, since I heard that when you call to make an appointment, they tell you to just stay home for a week. I don't know if it's true, but based on my experience with doctors being almost always useless, it was easy for me to believe.

*Read some thrilling novels to keep entertained. I read three by Lincoln Child, who often collaborates with Douglas Preston to write about a great character: Agent Pendergast. Preston also writes on his own, and his solo novels would be my second choice. But, I've read all those, so I had to read Child's solo works. They were fine, but his focus is on technology, artificial intelligence, etc... I prefer Douglas's areas of expertise, which are archeology and American Indians. Anyway, the Child novels did keep me entertained through my aching and moaning and whining and shivering.

*I'm still loving the show "Dexter"! The new season has not disappointed me.

*HBO finally decided to allow us to watch the second season of their Spanish-language detective show, "Epitafios" (Epitaphs). Two detectives track a serial killer (and the serial killer may be returning the favor). Both detectives are seriously flawed (one regularly plays Russian roulette). It's fun to see the difference between the Argentinian idea of modern police technology (which is probably pretty realistic) compared to our outlandishly exaggerated "CSI" fantasy labs and budgets.

*Managed to stand up long enough (in several short spurts) to peel off the top, vinyl layer of my "USA Varsity Sports" wallpaper border. Except for this stubborn 10-ft area over the windows, which is taking as long as the rest of the room combined.



*Finished up the final cleaning of our old house and retrieved our vacuum cleaner, which I have been longing for here. I never thought I would long for that thing, but it is true. I'm so happy that I'll never have to see our neighbors again! I'm especially happy that I'll never see them organizing another neighborhood basketball game in my driveway OR peeping in my windows!

**So, not too bad for being so sick. This week is off to a better start already, though I'm still only at about 75% of my regular energy level.