Mon Oct 3 - Wrapping up Sunday night: Choir rehearsal went really well. There were five of us there (the sixth was in a car accident but is okay), and we have steeled ourselves that this is a sleepy little town where things go slowly. Although we had nearly 30-40 people sign up as "interested" at the summer street festival, it turns out that most of them just want to be community supporters, not necessarily sing with us. So we're committed to having a solid six songs memorized for our "first concert" in December, and possibly a few duets or solos. My church has been letting us use the worship space for rehearsals, although it's a community choir and not a church choir. But in appreciation, we'll probably perform for the church as well as offer a Saturday evening concert.

After rehearsal, I stopped for some dinner and Lisa managed to extricate herself from a tangle of teenagers to join me for some ice tea and socializing. Then I hit the road, and although I was very awake for most of the ride, I finally had to stop for a nap partway when sleepiness came on surprisingly and suddenly. But this was actually good for several reasons (beyond the obvious avoiding falling asleep at the wheel). My back was hurting, and strangely enough sleeping in a chair often helps with my lower back. So I actually felt better having slept part of the night reclining in the driver's seat and part of the night with the seat only half-way down. Second, I was really REALLY awake at 4 am so I just stayed up and went into work early.

Getting ready to be gone for a week is a task all unto itself, so I don't always feel like I've "accomplished" anything at my desk, but *shrug*.

The big task for Monday was "to shop for equipment" and try and finish up some costuming issues. I stopped at a futon outlet store and the cute little divans I remembered either (a) are no longer carried by them, or (b) much more expensive than I remember. So then I browsed a "Bed Bath & Beyond" store, but the air mattresses there ranged between $150-300. Eep.

Then I went next door to Target (or tar-ZHAY) and the camping air mattresses were between $20-50! Yippee! I found a double-high queen-sized mattress for less than $45 and a battery-operated inflate/deflate pump for about $15. Picked up some more propane for the stove, some metal tent pegs and rope (to make certain my dayshade doesn't blow away in the Santa Ana winds), and some miscellaneous equipment for the event.

I also had stopped by a speciality store and between that place and Target, I have some really cute little presents for my friends who are having the "Grand Opening" of their household "Inn" at the war/camping-event. I can't tell you what I got (because some of them read this journal!) but I'll tell you later. Needless to say I was beaming with excitement at all my finds and bargains and showed them off to my roomie when I got home.

But best of all I found all the parts to my sewing machine and found all the pieces to the linen cotehardies Morgana and I made together, eep two years ago? Monday night I stayed up until midnight altering the sleeves of my under-dresses, putting the sleeves on (finally!) the teal-green linen over-dress, and hand-hemmed the wrists of the new green sleeves. I also managed to finish watching all the tv shows in my tivo that I'm not saving to watch with Saul, later after war.

Tue Oct 4 - So, after staying up until midnight last night, there was no chance of arriving at work at 6:20 am like yesterday. But things are going nicely, and I feel good about walking away from my desk for a week now.

I took a little extra time to have a manicure & pedicure for my lunch hour (I know! How Californian of me!) so that my nails are all neatly trimmed (very short!) and ready to deal with the grit and abuse I'm about to put them through, camping outdoors for a week. I hate having dirty fingernails, so before camping I trim them into non-existence. And I think half the real benefit of a mani/pedi appointment is sitting in the massage chair for an hour. So that was completely worth the extra dollars!

Tonight's shopping is all about the food and then at home it's all about packing. I'm planning to drive out after the morning rush hour, so I'll sleep in, have coffee and breakfast, then pack the car leisurely before driving out to the site.

See you all in a week!

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Oh no, too funny!! http://www.darrenbarefoot.com/hall/slides/Feline%20Abuse.html ...and you just have to poke around at some of the other technical manuals, packaging, and sign photos on this site. I was wheezing from laughing so hard.

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Recently Listening to: Poe Haunting

Recently Watched: Veronica Mars, NCIS, Smallville, Battlestar Galactica, The Secret Life of...Pie, How I Met Your Mother (which I'm beginning to think is actually a boring show and I'm considering dumping it, after 3 episodes)