Moving Day.

To keep following, go to:

Harry & Sally: The real-life version plus a pooch.

Baby Cousin Gets Married.

Kate & her bridesmaids at the Bridesmaids' Luncheon

Lauren (my cousin's wife) & me in our vintage hats at the Luncheon

Ann (my other cousin's wife) and me at the Luncheon--the hats were Ann's brilliant idea! Aren't they fun??

My awesome Aunt Cynthia and me before the wedding

Baby Cousin Kate is ready to get married!

Trying to get a decent picture of the Boss-man.

a whole lotta stuff

So, my bad. I've been gone awhile.

Well, life got busy.

For one, the dang Human Subjects division decided to grant permission for me to do my dissertation. Happy frickin' hallelujah. Then, I realized...oh crap. I have to actually go and FINISH this thing. So I've been out and about, recruiting participants and starting to interview.

For two, I'm working a full-time job that tried to strangle me by the throat starting in November. I think it's a combination of students actually doing what we want them to, coming in earlier and not waiting until the last minute (January), combined with the fact that we are down three advisors, that has sent me into a neurotic state.

For three, Chad entered my life. No, I'm not cheating on Jesse. Chad is my new personal trainer that came with my gym package. And he's awesome. But if I don't want him to kill me, leaving me to rot on the gym floor at the end of our sessions, I had better get my tail to the gym nearly everyday to keep up.

For four, I went to Texas (yee-haw!) for my cousin's wedding and Thanksgiving. It was my first holiday to be apart from Jesse. Sob. It was also my first time to be away from Boss. And I know he's not a child, but I really missed him. Sob again. But, Cousin's wedding was gorgeous and my diet went straight out the 70 degrees-and-sunny window.
Chick-Fil-A? Check. Three times.
Whataburger? Check.
Stole Whataburger ketchup? Check.
Mexican Food? Check. Check.
Thanksgiving-Itschner-style? Check and check.
Ever so slightly thicker Texas accent upon return? Check.

Stay tuned for:
The Tale of Texas Trip
The Awful Sound Boss Makes When We Leave Him Alone (AKA: Why the Neighbors Left Us a Nice Note Rather than having us Evicted on the Spot, We have No Idea).

open letters II

(For open letters, the original go to mrs. darling's blog.)

***********************************************
dear college kid who thinks it's your last quarter,

you should know by now what degree you are seeking. if you don't, you probably aren't graduating this quarter, you yahoo.

advising you,
peggy

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dear lauren graham,

the one fan who has something actually meaningful to tell you can't figure out how to contact you. which is probably good, since you're famous and don't want to get stalked by crazies. but i'm not crazy. your characters on gilmore girls and parenthood have inspired and encouraged me for the past 10 years. you have brought into my world a taste of family, especially my mom, who has been gone for 14 years. thank you.

your biggest (no seriously, your biggest) fan,
peggy

**********************************************
dear creators of friends,

when will you make a friends movie? i don't think you would ruin it. just don't do a sequel like Sex & the City and it will be fine.

ross & rachel forever,
peggy

**********************************************
blake shelton,

marry me.

love,
peggy

ps. miranda & i have talked. she's fine with it.

**********************************************
dearest jesse,

if you learn how to close the shower curtain and wash your dishes, i'll love you forever. okay, so i already do. but seriously, can you just close the shower curtain and wash your dishes?

love,
me

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dear bossy-boss,

please shut the hell up when we leave you alone so we don't have to pay $450/month for doggy day care.

love,
mommy

ps. you're still the fiercest Westie in the West. even if you're a total co-dependent wuss.

Jonesin' to write...

So, I have gone through periodic bouts over the years where I really get the itch to do some writing. For me, it's primarily personal narrative writing. Examples of previous writing include experiences with boys, having an eating disorder, or simply Grandma. After living in Africa, I started to write about that (didn't get too far, and now I fear it's been too long...I went there TEN years ago on October 30, 2001, which is pure crazy).

Today, I got the itch again. I start doing rather drastic things, as I tend to do in my melodramatic, black-or-white, all-or-nothing way, like researching MFA Creative Writing programs. Why would I do that to myself? I'm still in my EdD program!

Instead, maybe I should just enjoy it...but in truly type A fashion, I have created a mental list of the less formal approach to "becoming a creative writer" which includes:
1. Write. About anything that comes to mind.
2. Show it to friends. Preferably ones who know good writing when they see it and are good writers themselves.
3. Try to submit it to some sort of writing contest or publication. See if they think it's any good.

And finally, a list of potential topics that I could write about from a personal narrative perspective:
A. Africa...rather than the entire time, some poignant experiences though I still dream of a memoir (previous planned title: Memoire d'Afrique)
B. Family...losing, gaining, what IS family, anyway? potential title: Who is the "we" in We Are Family?
C. This body I call my own...about gaining and losing 30 pounds, TWICE; eating disorder and beauty issues; potential title: The 30 Pound Yo-Yo, and All that Comes with It
D. Faith, or the lack thereof...probably titled...that.
E. Boss...focusing on how raising a puppy is like having a kid; title: The Dog as Child
F. Just some miscellaneous Misadventures that incorporates all of the above, sort of in Anne Lamott fashion; potential title: How I Stole Anne Lamott's Idea and Wrote a Miscellaneous Book about the Things that Matter to Me. What, too long?

By the way, my favorite part of writing is coming up with titles.

So, that's what's on my mind today. Writing. Incidentally, I'm reading The Help. Fantastic book. Makes me want to write a novel. But I think I would suck at fiction.

Weigh-in

Background:
May 2011: Cousin Kate asked me to be one of her bridesmaids in her November wedding.
Late May 2011: Tried on dress at David's Bridal. It is fitted through the hips...really, Kate? This requires a size larger than the size I had grown to, and was already unhappy with.
June 8, 2011: Peggy joins Weight Watchers Online. Goal: lose 25 pounds.

Since then:
I have weighed in each Wednesday morning, making steady progress. Following the WW plan and being active, thanks to the lovely Seattle summer, playing kickball and softball and walking Boss around Green Lake.

This morning:
The family weighed in.
Peggy: has lost 20 pounds...WOOT!
Boss: has gained 2.5 pounds since his last vet visit in July--he's now 14.5 pounds--WOOT!
Jesse: the bastard has lost 12 pounds unintentionally since June, just by living with me and making healthier choices because I have been. Woot. Boys suck.