Yay, they've come and the carpet is really nice

The same guy who came last year did my carpet again. Since I was between vacuum cleaners last time and he was very chastising, it was a relief to see him happier about my floors this year. I would definitely recommend Terry's Carpet Care in Lexington for your floor cleaning needs. My apartment seems somehow bigger (although that could be because every horizontal surface in the place has something on it. The magazines are on the loveseat, my laundry is on my bed). Still plan on doing laundry today and straightening some more, but I'm going to take a break now and actually enjoy some time off in the midday.

So it looks like Tuesday

will be full of things like carpet cleaning and a doctor's appointment. Of course, I found out about the former's time this evening, so Monday I have to check with my bosses to see if it's okay to just take Tuesday off. I hate not giving plenty of notice, but I have to be here to let in the cleaners, and that can be anytime before noon, with the appointment later in the afternoon. If I went into work I'd get at the most about three or four hours, probably less, of work done. So, there you go. If it's not okay with them, I'll reschedule the cleaning. But I doubt there will be a problem; they're both flexible and I can get my data entry work in on Wednesday without losing much time.

That means I have to get things off the floor and vacuum really well before then. Tomorrow will be dog bathing day, and then I'll have to work on the game notes, and Sunday's the game, so the majority of this will happen on Monday evening. I also need to do laundry this weekend sometime, for it is time, once again. Before the dog bathing, though, I have to get my rent. And I really should try to find certificate paper for the retirees who need to be recognised by the section of the Medical Library Association for which I'm chair of the membership committee. The annual conference is very soon.

Tonight I was fortunate in that my friend Brandon took me over to where my other friends live and I was able to drop some stuff off for the dogs and get my meds (a friend from the pharmacy delivers theirs and mine, and I pick mine up there, rather than going across town on the bus). Then my ride took me to Taco Bell to pick up dinner (a rare treat, isn't that ridiculous?) and dropped me off at home. It took about an hour all told, whereas it would have taken at least three on the bus. Thank you so much, Brandon, for taking me places!

Of course, I meant to watch or record 'Supernatural' and 'Grimm' tonight, but alas, I fell asleep for a bit, so I'll have to watch online. I am so far behind on those shows. I really should set a series recording so I don't miss any.

I'm sleepy already. Time to go to bed for real; it's almost midnight. Have a good night and a good weekend. My horse for the Kentucky Derby is Take Charge Indy. We'll see how he does. I don't bet, of course. I'm not even doing anything except if I'm lucky, watching the 2 minutes or so of the race. But I thought I'd put that name out there. Good night.

A decent day

Today's radioplay: 'Girl with Gazelle'

I finished cleaning my desk out today. There's just taking my extra stuff home and that's it. The furniture is being moved tomorrow. My desk has one pen and a sticky pad on it. Even my bulletin board is bare. Sometime next week they'll put the cubicles together. The overhead bins will come a little later, though, so for now my plants are in the windows by the computers.

Interesting factoid I learnt today: Vanilla bean is from an orchid. They are naturally pollinated only by a specific bee native to Mexico which has not been successfully raised in other vanilla-producing countries. For those plantations, workers must inspect the plantation for open flowers (they only last a day) and peel back a membrane separating the male and female parts of this hermaphroditic plant. I'm brushing up on orchid basics (I bought a book on them the other day) so I can get mine to rebloom. I have a Dendrobium and a Phalaenopsis. I've never seen the Dendrobium flower--I bought it for $5 after the blooms were spent--but I think I found the same type of plant later and the blooms are pink. So are the Phalaenopsis', but lighter ranging to a mild pink. They are both epiphytic (growing on trees), so they're in a special potting medium. The Dendrobium has pseudobulbs, the Phalaenopsis does not, but rather has three thick leaves that spread out from the centre. I am having some trouble with brown on the Dendrobium's newest growth, but I don't think it's a fungus. I'm still getting the whole watering schedule down, so it may be too much water or perhaps the artificial light of the library is too strong for the new growth. I'm digging to find a cure, and in the meantime snipping off the areas affected in case they are fungal and being careful with it around other plants.

I was out running errands today and was sitting in the car when I heard the most exquisite, clear birdsong. I think it may have been a mockingbird. Last night I sat in the quiet with just the hum of the computer and the chirping of a cricket outside. It's those little things you appreciate, or at least I do.

My foot's still giving me trouble, but nothing I can't live with. I did try the hand-towel-in-the-boot thing and am happy to report that there was no new acerbation of the abrasions that had been forming on my legs.

Well, I need to go, Cerys needs to go out and I need to get ready for the carpet cleaners who are coming tomorrow.