Upon arriving home tonight, I realized that I failed in two regards: my personalized notepad is still lying out with my weeks-old to-do list, #1 being "find new apartment." Also, my closet door was left open, presumably by myself. (I don't remember closing it.)

Hello, landlord and stranger in my apartment! Do you like my yarn projects and underpants?

My day will be saved.

I had one of those days where everything was frustrating, and I was just fed up. I've been looking for small, wide mouth mason jars for eons, and without fail they don't carry them or they've run out. My grocery store trip tonight was saved - not by mason jars, alas - by my fortuitous exit via the produce section, whereupon I spied rhubarb. And then bought a bunch of it, as I haven't had any this year. Now, I will sit and watch Doctor Who whilst it bakes.

God, I haven't blogged in eons.

After only walking a block from my apartment, I knew my feet were going to be a problem. I wore sandals for the first time today, but made the moronic choice of wearing the ones that have bumps on the sole. Usually the bumps feel nice - they keep the sandal from getting sweaty and sticky. But I always forget that I have to work up to wearing them, I cannot go from wearing shoes with socks for months on end, to suddenly breaking out the advanced sandals. It got to be torture, but I would not let myself go back home and change.

Now, I am afraid to look at the bottom of my feet. They feel like they're on fire, and I'm pretty sure I've got some baby blisters forming.

My flickr pro account expired. It's weird to look at it and see that I only have 200 photos. It's just so bizarre.

I had a number of things that I wanted to do today, but I overslept and my schedule got all wonky. Now, I'm not sure where to start. Bleh. I blame the cold dreariness outside and lack of desire to clean. Hello, spring.

Two Fridays ago started out grey and rainy, but by the time work was done it was glorious - 40s and so so sunny. I stopped to get gas and washed all my salt-covered car windows. When I parked at my apartment building, I wiped down the inside of my car - dash, windowsills, etc - while the doors were opening, listening to music. It felt like spring was here.

Today I left work and had to brush off the snow covering my windshield. When I turned onto my street, the snow atop my car fell forward and down in big sheets, and I had to use the windshield wipers to clear the snow off. I determined that spring was not, in fact, here yet.

That said, I'm not so pleased about the whole looking like I belong in a horror movie thing.

On Sunday evening, after the movie, I took my first trip to the SuperTarget that opened last summer. While there, the display of orange juice was oddly appealing, and so I bought one. This was the first time I have purchased orange juice in over two years. I hate o.j.

Even later that night, I used the last bit of soap in my disposable container. Instead of refilling it like usual, I elected to fill up my sadlyprophetic Christmas present for the first time.

On Monday night, I climbed into bed and wrapped myself up in my blankets like I usually do. Within five minutes, I was roasting. When I hopped out to turn the thermostat down, I found that it was lower than it usually is.

And, yes. When I woke up Tuesday, I had a stuffy nose, a sore throat, and the realization that I should have put all these signs together a couple days ago. Crap.

Today at work I made a list of things that I should do tonight and then promptly did none of them, besides shopping at Walgreens for some pertinent items. Instead, after throwing dinner in the oven I got some spur of the moment cleaning bug and proceeded to clean my kitchen and bathroom. So, progress.

Tomorrow may involve more cleaning - the closet? the livingroom? - but I think that I am instead going to head to Obama's rally at the Kohl Center. The rumor is that he won't be speaking until the East Coast polls close at 8 cst, so I don't know what time I would elect to show up.

Unrelated: Madison is seven-tenths of an inch away from making this the snowiest winter ever. I would say that it's a lock, except that the snow was supposed to start at 3pm. And then the forecast was amended to 6pm. When that didn't happen, they decided to say that it would start at midnight. And still, there's nothing on the radar.

Despite a parking lot half-full of cars, I am confident when I say that I was the only person outside at Olbrich. It was 29 degrees out, and I did not go into the greenhouse/conservatory. I gingerly walked along the half-cleared paths. And took photos, all of which had over a foot of pristine snow in the background.

The garden grounds were covered with this immaculate snow, sliced along the pathways. (I should note: the paths were only half-cleared in that they had snow crunched down rendering them slippery, and ice on them in spots. The edging was beautiful.) Except for in some random spots when there would be a phantom set of footprints - only one, and in one direction - connecting a cluster of bushes and the path. It puzzled me more than it probably should. It still is.

I went to the Craftacular at High Noon and I knew it was a bad sign when I could park in the tiny lot. It's not that the wares were bad, it's just that they were all Valentine-themed, and there's only so many hearts and cupids I can stomach, no matter how ironically rendered. Also, I don't quite feel like buying repeat items - many of the vendors show up repeatedly, with very similar products. That said, there was one vendor with exceptionally awesome totes and I am kicking myself for not picking up a business card so that I can purchase one when I feel more flush with money. Alas.

I am still undecided as to whom I want as my Democratic candidate, but Obama's coming to town and I think I will go hear him speak. Clinton, however, seems to be passing by Madison so far. (Not surprising, however - a cursory search for information shows no Clinton events, even supporters-only, planned within an hour of here.) The only thing that I am completely set on is a desire for Huckabee to not be the Republican candidate. Do you think that McCain campaign would appreciate my willingness to campaign for him - but only to beat his fellow Republican? Twisted, I know.

It is February tenth. I think today is as good a day as any to start my Resolutions. I cannot bear to start them on January first, nor have I usually figured out what mine may be then.

You would think that I would be sick of the snow by now, that I must be sick of it after today, having to shovel my car out so that I could drive home - only to get stuck getting into my parking lot at home. But no! I can't wait to see the snow tomorrow, bright and pristine and white in the sun - provided that it is sunny tomorrow. Apparently there's a chance for more flurries.

Although, I think I would be soured on this weather if I had been one of the hundreds of cars stuck for nine hours on the interstate.