I think the best thing we can say about today is that it's almost over.  When I woke up this morning, I started sneezing and haven't stopped.  I went to work but I know I should have stayed home.  I've mentioned our rather draconian policies involving sick time.  It's mostly because we have the same rules they have over at our main hospital and they are all designed to make sure the nursing staff is sufficient to cover a shift (although I am sure I don't want a nurse to come in with a sneezy head cold).  While an "occurrence" won't count on my evaluation any more, it will be kept track of and when I reach the arbitrary number of 5 occurrences in a year (and an occurrence is any time you have an unscheduled absence) you are "in the disciplinary process". Since I didn't want to deal with all of that and I'm unsure of how many occurrences I have (they counted my gall bladder surgery even though it was pre approved time), I got my sneezy self into work.  I was fairly busy all day and went through an enormous box of tissues. 

I perked up somewhat this afternoon and Pk, El and I went to the mall to locate the shoes I wanted for my birthday.  I ordered these.  They're called Phoebe and are made by dansko.  I own several pairs of shoes (not nearly as many as some people I know) but I really only wear two pairs of them to work on a regular basis.  A few years ago, one of the doctors told me about her danskos and I have been wearing them ever since.  They feel good on my feet and support my back and legs as I walk.  They're really popular with doctors and people who stand on their feet all day. I have a high instep and have trouble finding shoes that accomodate that.  When I found these, I bought a brown pair and a black pair.  My brown pair gets way more wear than the black pair and are really beat up.  So, I ordered a new pair and they'll ship them directly to my house next week.  Yay for packages in the mail! 

We walked around the mall but after its major rennovation, it's not as warm and welcoming as it once was.  It's full of comfortable furniture and soft music but it's all very sterile looking.  Very white and bright and well, blah.  It's also full of expensive stores.  We walked in through Nordstrom's and I saw a sequined skirt that I thought my niece would have loved.  But not 134 dollars worth.  She's only 9 and not likely to wear it for very long before outgrowing it and who buys a skirt for that much for a child?  Not me, that's for sure.  We did enjoy the kitchen store and bought a new pepper grinder and some really delicious coffee (Snickerdoodle-it's vanilla and cinnamon).  I was starting to really fade and so we stopped and got some take out soup and some cold shrimp and came home and had a quick dinner.

I'm sitting here listening to a storm coming up.  We're in for some rain tonight and tomorrow.  I think I'll stay as close to home as I can and just do laundry.  And probably knit.  There's always time for that!