Well of course

Wanted: One couple between the ages of 25 and 40 who won't be leaving the ABQ area any time soon (if ever!) to become friends with another couple who are also stuck here. Must enjoy offbeat humor, general randomness, eating and be willing to tolerate a cantankerous cat when visiting our house. Love of baseball, Texas, and Wii a plus but not necessary. Children OK.

When I got home from work yesterday, I had a message from our friend/neighbor Alison that they had some news to share with us. I knew that meant one of three things--1. they're moving 2. she's pregnant, or (in a distant third) 3. they'd met someone who knows us. Knowing that they've been married less than a month and while things happen, I ruled out choice 2. Choice 3 was a long-shot not because we don't know people but because it's not something that warrants a phone call.

And that leaves option 1. They are indeed moving--to St. Louis in September. While they were on their honeymoon, Alison learned that she had received a promotion and Jeff was able to transfer to the St. Louis area as well.

Of course we don't begrudge them this move--it's great in many ways for them. It's a promotion and they'll be closer to their families in the Midwest. But darn it all if every single set of couple friends we've had in Albuquerque hasn't ended up moving after a bit. Seriously, if you live in the ABQ area and you want to move, befriend us as a couple (this offer doesn't apply to couple friends we have in which one or the other of us is better friends with someone within the couple). Even couples we've been introduced to by other couple friends have moved (one set to Pittsburgh of all places).

Seriously, is it us? OK, we know it isn't but it sometimes feels that way. (And it's not that we don't have friends. It's just nice to have friends that we know and do things with as a couple.)

Not quite how I'd envisioned an afternoon off

It's an undeniable feeling but I've been doing my best to ignore it since Tuesday.  

"I'll just drink gallons of water and it will all be OK," I said to myself.  "No need for a doctor,"  I said to myself.

This morning, when I found myself "holding it" until 11:30 and things not going so well at that time, I acquiesced and called my primary physician.  And was told that he could see me on Monday.  No sympathy at all when I suggested that I might die by Monday.  I called my gynecologist, where at least the receptionist sounded genuinely sorry that there were no appointments until Monday.  The spouse of a coworker is a P.A. but unfortunately, he is out of town.  So, I kicked the stragglers out of the library, let the teachers who were using the library today know what was going on, grabbed a book from the library shelf and headed to Urgent Care (I'd already told the school secretary who asked why I was still at school).

I checked in at the Urgent Care desk a little after 12:30, was seen by the Triage Nurse at 1:00 (I determined that counts as the "official" time I got to the clinic as I was still hearing a 2.5 hour wait time being quoted by the front desk when I left at 3:30), and settled in with my book, my crossword puzzles, and my iPod to wait it out.  I visited the snack shop which I found to be quite reasonably priced--a can of Diet Coke, a small sack of Ritz Bits, and a 24 oz. bottle of water for under $2.  Thanks to my supply of activities and snacks--and a 4 year old with a possibly broken nose who told her mom, "It doesn't hurt if I don't touch it.  I'm going to try touching it."--the afternoon wait went quickly.  About 3:15,  I finally gave a sample and saw the doctor a bit after that.  I like that she told me there was "an impressive amount of blood and pus."  I don't know why that makes me feel good.  It's not like it's a competition and I can't be all "Woohoo!  I'm #1 for UTIs!"  I caught the infection early enough that it hasn't spread to my kidneys and three days of antibiotics and lots of water is all that is needed to clear this all up.

And one more picture from Christmas, courtesy of Mom.  Happy 5th Birthday, Abigail!  I hope your day was better than mine.