TAKE COVER!!!!

SWEET ONION CHUTNEY....we are experiencing today the most insane weather I have ever seen here in The Netherlands. I mean, yes, there have been days of sideways rain and gale force winds and hail pellets, but today takes the cake. It takes ALL the cakes as there has not been one moment since I awoke that the hail has not been pounding on the windows and the wind not blowing at literally 90km/hour. I have taken shelter in the comfort of my own office, huddled by the heater and mentally stockpiling those little cookies they serve with the coffee in case we have to batten down the hatches and spend the night. IT'S INSANE! (Editor's Note: I still believe it is better than the -19 in Winnipeg right now)

And not only is it just downright Les Miserable at the Tony Award winning level, it also means that for the sake of comfort (and safety, at this point, as I see tree branches careen down the street and car alarms go off from the hail) I will not be going to Utrecht tonight to do my presentation, which also means I will not be seeing BH90210, who I haven't seen in weeks and, quite frankly, miss bunches. Oh sure, the daily emails and sms' do well to keep the quotient up, but it's not the same. But I can barely muster up the intention to venture out the door to the bus stop never mind to Utrecht.

I have decided that starting Monday I am going to begin an overall health and cleansing process in preparation for what will surely be an extremely gastronomically indulgent holiday season. As such, I will exercise (but how can I do more than I already do? My legs would fall off I'm sure), drink more water (hmmm, already floating away at 2 litres a day...), cut down on the caffeine (except for tablets, and one cup in the morning, and maybe one at dinner...), eat more organics and fruit and vegetables (what else do I eat now? not much) and take care of my skin (are 4 different post-shower lotions and creams not enough?). So basically I will carry on status-quo in hopes that the intention alone is enough to make me feel better without having to alter that which can hardly be altered.

(WE REALLY MUST HEAD TO THE BOMB SHELTER - XH's tree has no leaves left)

On the mind constantly is GP, who is still so very very sad. Have been in contact all week for both work and otherwise and sent what I hope is a smile-inspiring care package to his home of our weekend photos and a cd of music teasing him about is second career as magazine model (it could happen, have you seen the man?) containing such ground breaking runway hits as I'm Too Sexy, Vogue, Work It (I LOVE RuPaul!) and the all time and very apropos favourite, Es Tao Boa. I hope it makes him laugh. Spoke to him last night....was not so well, and again I crumbled.

A few potentially significant developments have also come about regarding living arrangements. Could be a very interesting time to come.

At any rate, have a few tasks to finish this afternoon and want to finish earlier rather than later despite being meteorologically denied a trip to BH90210-ville. *sigh* weather, the ultimate out-of-control entity.