Score! New Bedding

As some have figured out, Linens and Things is closing in Natomas. Hopefully the empty store will make way for something useful, like a Trader Joes. Mmm...

Anyway, everything is on a minor clearance right now. And M and I have decided to use the chain's misfortune to find a new bedding set. Especially since the current bedding shrunk in our washing machine after a foster kitty accident. (It's Dry Clean only for a reason, folks.) Plus, M never really liked my choice. (Whatever...)

So LnT put their entire Nate Berkus line on a bigger clearance than everything else... which now makes it about the same price as everything else. Either way, I managed to get the complete bedding set for $200. The comforter alone cost that much at regular price. Score!

Smoke Screen

If you've been living under a rock lately, you probably should stay there. Northern California is burning! And since we live in a valley with about 842 different fires surrounding us, it looks like mid-December, feels like mid-July, and smells like that nasty bar from college that didn't follow the "no smoking in enclosed spaces" law. Gross.

Here is the skyline on a good day:














Here is the skyline now:














Yuck...

Je vais bien, merci.

Footnotes for the last few weeks since I've been casually absent.

• The Basic Skills Initiative is guaranteed to change California college students and faculty. It apparently took over my life for about 3 weeks and I'm finally FINISHED with the regional meeting road trip. 6 2-day meetings in less than 2 weeks. UGH! Granted I didn't go to all of them, but I did have to help re-set up a majority of them because they were poorly organized.
• During my road trip, I managed to pick up some basic French phrases for our trip in November. However, since these are free podcasts, I can only go by what I hear. I know the website has free downloads, but I will probably have no idea what I'm looking at.
• I tried the Wii Fit and I LOVE it! Hula Hooping on a video game? Who needs a gym? I can do yoga with a funky CGI trainer who's lips don't move. Fun stuff.
• Lucy is our psycho "child." She's destroyed a good chunk of her toys and I find feathers all over the house. She's scratching her post... and the rug... and the carpets... and the ottomans.
• I really need a hair cut.
• I've been riding the bus for the last couple of weeks. $1 a ride. A/C. Good for the environment and I'm just saying NO to $4.50/gallon gas. HA!