Earlier in the day we had to stop by B&N because one of Luke�s coworkers has tapes of every Buffy episode this season, so she lent two of them to us, promising to send along the others when she has them. Stupid local stations changing networks. I would have been able to catch Buffy when it�s broadcast this season, but back in September, right before new episodes were about to begin, what was UPN made the switch to WB, so no more Buffy, or anything decent for that matter. Though, I have to say, two episodes into season seven, I�m not really sure if I like it. I was one of those who, at the finish of last season, no longer wanted to watch after they killed off Tara, something they said they would never do. I don�t think it was necessary to both throw everyone�s lives into upheaval, particularly poor Willow�s, and do away with the first ever realistically portrayed televised lesbian relationship.

We hung around in B&N for a bit. Luke showed me a silly little book entitled What Animal are You?, so we curled up in comfy chairs and took the quiz. We are both Sneaky Animals, but he�s a bush pig and I am a raccoon. His coworkers kept popping up and asking him what he was doing there. Luckily, they didn�t see us when we had to return later that night so that Andy could browse.

Yesterday was beautiful and in the low seventies, temperature-wise, so we checked the mail (yay! The rest of my refund!) and headed to the zoo. Madison�s zoo is free, so it�s not top notch, but so long as they have puddly looking tree frogs, lions, tigers, bears (oh my!) and a smattering of other things of fuzzy and not so fuzzy nature, it�s fun to go.

Unfortunately, in the primate house, while observing a baby Bornean Orangutan I ran into my former boss while she was on rec. with some clients. Needless to say, seeing the Empress of Ice was uncomfortable, but probably more so for her, since I didn�t much care. This is going to sound insensitive, but when you�ve spent a year being screamed at, hit, scratched, and generally beaten about by developmentally disabled adults, you can talk, but Jebus am I glad I�m no longer a Tard Farmer. The odd thing about that sort of relief, though, is that I would do anything to be able to work exclusively with people who have Down�s. I love people with Down�s.

We sauntered over to the barnyard animal area, where there was an adorable pink pig, rooting about in the dry leaves lining the chain link fence of the pen. He was pretty far away from all of his barnyard comrades, and just so close that I had to do something, so I bent down, held up my piggy purse, ahem Elmore, and had them meet one another in an episode I refer to as Pig Vs. Pig. It would have made the coolest ever iZone photo, but we were stupid and forgot the camera. Elmore and Zoopig were nose to nose, with Zoopig�s tail wagging madly. We have vowed to return to the zoo in order to take that picture sometime in the near future.

We also went to State St. to cash my check and have chai from Chocolate Coyote and split a turkey and cheese sandwich at Radical Rye. For the first time, we actually did the wise thing and split instead of ordering individually and having tons of food left over. We strolled a bit, popping into The Soap Opera and various other places, but we didn�t buy anything. I didn�t see anything, save for a giant rubber duck wearing a So�Wester, but that wasn�t worth fifteen dollars, which caught my eye or made me need it.

I�ve asked Luke to order Harold and Maude for me from work and to ask around to see if anyone has any Rasputina albums they�d be willing to burn for me. I could go to the Exclusive Company and get one of them there (we can get CDs wholesale now, what with an ex-coworker of Luke�s being an assistant manager), but I don�t know. If the coworker query turns nothing up, I�ll pop in and grab one. I mean, for two to six dollars, it�s worth it.

I really hate it when we have such great weekends and they have to end. I know I complain about having my space sometimes, but I hate having to be without him when he has to work. Sure, the time passes relatively quickly, but I miss him. I tend to get kind of upset Monday nights when I know our weekend is over and it�s inevitable that I tell him I don�t want him to go to work in the morning, with him asking me if I want him to call in. I always say no, the money being more important than indulging my selfishness, but I wish we could either work together someplace or pair our talents and work from home somehow.

I don�t think I�m going to work out today. We did a fair amount of walking over the weekend and I don�t really feel it�s necessary. Plus, my right shin hurts, so I don�t want to exacerbate anything that may be wrong with it. I know it�s probably just an underlying muscular pull or something, but I don�t like to be out of the game any more than I have to. By resting it, it will get better faster

It�s colder today than it was. The temperature dropped nearly thirty degrees overnight and drizzle and fog have come to hang about, so it�s back to long-sleeved shirts for me. Though, I do have the window and slider open because I�ve grown accustomed to fresh air over the past three days.

If you notice that there is rarely any mention of politics here, in spite of the current global situation, it's because I can't watch the news or read anything about it without screaming. I don't like screaming, so I avoid it. Suffice to say that 2004 cannot come any sooner, so that I can do my part to vote this mindless, warmongering, daddy's boy out of the White House.