Catch-Up

Oh noooooo, I fell off the blogging wagon! It's not New Year's, so I'm not calling this a resolution, but I would like to get back on track. Sometimes that first step is the hardest, so for today I'm just jotting down a list (bullets: a blogger's lazy tool) of topics I'd like to backfill, plus a couple of upcoming events & outings I want to hit on as well.

a) Halloween Party & Costumes
b) Thanksgiving/Tuscany
c) Venice Hotel & Shopping
d) Work
e) Holiday Plans
f) Bolzano Christmas Market
g) Haircut
h) Books I've Read in the 2nd half of 2015
i) Mom visiting Italy - probably multiple posts!

Also, I rode my bike to work today. This is technically the first time I've done that, though I've ridden my bike to the base several times before. Funnily enough, I didn't really plan to bike to work. Originally I thought I would bike in today, and then leave the bike at work and have my husband pick me up so we could go grocery shopping together and I wouldn't have to bike home in the dark. Then I would ride the bus to work in the morning and bike home when I finish work at 1300. But I worked out at home this morning and was generally feeling a little lazy, so I decided to ride the bus. Generally the bus passes my house going in the direction of work at 17 minutes past the hour and at 47 minutes past the hour. To start work on the hour, I need to catch the xx17 bus. Since it's Italy, I always check the bus schedule before I leave though, just to make sure. Usually the buses are pretty reliable, but you never know. And sometimes they change it up seasonally or there's a random Italian holiday or something else impacting the schedule. And I don't know if it's because today is a holiday (Feast of the Immaculate Conception) or just because it was close to when things shut down for lunch and riposo, but sure enough, there wasn't a bus at a convenient time for me. And I couldn't even catch an early one and hang out on the base before hand, since I waited a few minutes too long to catch the schedule! Argh! As my Grampa says, "It's alright, as long as you say 'oops.'" OOPS. So, back to Plan A. I quickly changed clothes & shoes, added work attire to my backpack, pumped up my bike tires, and hit the road. I think it's about 4.5 miles to work, but I've never really verified that. Anyway, I checked my watch at 1211, before I pumped up the tires, and then I checked it again when I got to work and took off my helmet in my office, at 1235. I think I made great time!

And now I need a nap.