Plays well with others

So far, Mother Nature has been quite cooperative and I'm holding steady with 42 as the low temperature. I was even able to dodge the rain this morning, cruising in at a balmy 54.

Next week looks promising, too - I'm just going to keep my eye on Monday morning's forecasted low of 38! Brr!

Ch-ch-ch-changes!

For those of you who haven't been to the office lately, I thought I'd share with you some photos of the construction!

There are holes in the walls:

Sounds rather ominous, don't you think?

As of the end of the week, this is where Sarah, Dave, Megan and I will have a new home.

Last week:

Today:

Look, there's new carpeting (with letters all over it, isn't that neat?!) and non-off white/eggshell/cream/ivory/light beige paint on the walls:

We'll be where Hélène's office once was. She'll be right next to us in these new digs:















I think Resource might have to have a Cube Warming Party next week! And, speaking of parties, be sure to check your email from a message from Jordan regarding a spooktacular event on the 29th!

Oh, one more random synaptic firing I wanted to share with you - another gem from Troy Aikman -
"He continuously continues..."

Egad, man, take advantage of a teleprompter.

Vote absentee. It's fun in a lazy way.

Just a friendly reminder that the lines at the polls might be really long on Tuesday November 4. To avoid missing several hours of work in order to vote, I’m requesting an absentee ballot.

If you’re already registered at your current address, it’s easy to vote by mail. Details are here: http://elections.state.wi.us/faq_detail.asp?faqid=120&fid=27&locid=47

Mail in your application for a ballot before Tuesday the 28^th.

If you want to check and see if/where you are registered, this site can help: http://elections.state.wi.us/category.asp?linkcatid=1773&linkid=270&locid=47

So no excuses! Make sure to vote on or before November 4.

Sketch comedy!

Come see my sketch comedy show or you'll cry yourself to sleep for the rest of the year.
That's not a threat- it's just a fact.
















broadminded announces their latest show, Rewind: A "best of" Sketch Comedy show.

The show will run at the Alchemist Theatre, 2569 S Kinnickinnic in Bay View with shows on:
Thursday Oct 23 - 7:30pm
Friday Oct 24 - 7:30pm
Saturday Oct 25 - 7:30pm
Sunday Oct 26 - 5pm

Broadminded is bringing back your favorite sketches for their first ever "best of" show. You won't want to miss this fine selection of vintage broadminded sketches aged to perfection!

Tickets are available for $8 at www.alchemisttheatre.com. The show is appropriate for ages 15 and up.

For more information on broadminded, visit our website, www.broadmindedcomedy.com.

Temperature update

Well, for those of you who voted for 45, I'm sorry to say that you are now out of the running! So far, the lowest is 42...heck, this morning's 56 felt tropical! Felt just like I was hanging with Aurora in P.R (just kidding...)

How low will she go?

Many of you may know that I'm an avid cyclist. My dear hubby and I log in some serious miles on weekends (usually 35-50) and I commute on my trusty steed whenever possible and I passed the 2,000 mile mark for the season (late May on) a few weeks ago. To be honest, I really don't remember the last time I was in the car. I'll bike through rain. I'll bike through wind.

I won't bike through snow. I'm not that nuts...

In the past, I didn't bike if it was below 55. Well, with some proper new gear, I've already gone well below that! (heck, lately that feels downright balmy) Today was a slightly different story - with 47 degrees, my husband and I didn't take our customary pre-work 25 miler but I did commute to Iverson from Shorewood (round trip is about 11 miles).

So, I ask you, "How low do you think I'll go?" Cast your vote below -

In Denial

I do not want to talk about the Wisconsin - Michigan game. Please do not ask me about it. If you do, I may either:

a. weep bitterly
b. stomp my feet and walk away
c. fume, with optional steam escaping from my ears
d. all of the above

So, let me stay in denial for a bit longer, k?

In the meantime, let me introduce you to the wee beasties that run Chez Dickens. Here are Washington and Madison:












They came to us almost a year ago...quite unexpectedly. Last July, we had to say a very bitter farewell to little Elmo.

He was only 7, a true spitfire, and most dear to my husband. Elmo burned very brightly and my DH always feared that Elmo would burn out quickly. Unfortunately that came true last summer when Elmo contracted an acute kidney infection. During the course of the initial treatment at the Emergency Animal Hospital, we learned that Elmo's other kidney never developed properly and was completely unable to handle the overload. Within a few days, he was gone and our hearts were quite broken.

This is a picture of him about 2 weeks before he died, doing one of the things he loved best - cuddling in a cardboard box.

Just a few months later, our best pals who live in Chicago were sent to Seattle in conjunction with their jobs. They had been extremely active in providing foster homes to cats while living in Chicago and during the course of this very laudable activity, had permanently adopted four of them...Washington and Madison were two of them. Their new home in Seattle only allowed for 2 cats and so our friends asked us to watch Washie and Maddie for a year. Having this request fall so shortly after we lost Elmo, we just couldn't see getting attached...which was an absolutely guarantee...and then having to say good-bye, again (even though we knew that the beasties would be back home safely). We hated having to disappoint our friends, but we were still mourning the loss of one very special feline.

After a week, our friends came back with another option: keep 'em for a year. If you love them, keep 'em for good. That way, they could start fostering again. How could we say no? Everyone wins...including some cats who will be in need sometime in the future.

Suffice it to say, we adore these two - brother and sister they are. Part of a litter found in a dumpster behind a restaurant somewhere in downtown Chicago in the dead of winter three years ago. All named after presidents (must be hard coming up with names when you foster so many animals) and these two are the only ones who survived that very harsh welcome to the world.

Within a few weeks, Washington and Madison had enriched our lives so much and it's hard to imagine each day without them!