jazz before the week begins

I'm beginning to use the 'radio' on my iTunes a lot more these days, mostly for jazz music which is one of my favorite genres. I find my personal collection of songs is somewhat boring right now. Haven't come across anything new lately that I like.

Yesterday was a nice day overall even though we had a little mishap with doing the laundry. This building is so fricking old and I guess that goes for the door to the laundry room downstairs as well. We both go down to the floor below us to do laundry (which is not free, mum yes). We're about to throw in the clothes to the wash, and I decided to go grab something from the apartment really quick before that - and I can't open the door. A little piece of the metal doorframe has wedged itself in between, so that we couldn't open it. And the crappy, cheap door handle looked like it was about to fall off any minute. Had come loose and wasn't secure at all. And that room is hotter and more humid than a Turkish bath. If both of the dryers are running, it's hard to breathe in there after a while! So TK finally got the door open after hitting and tugging the shit out of it. Afterwards, the door itself had kind of bent from the door handle up. Crappy-ass door. We could have been stuck in there and we hadn't brought anything with us. I know what I'll be calling to the office about next...

Finished the laundry and then went to Old Town Alexandria to walk around a bit. Ended up going to a pizza joint down there for a late lunch/early dinner, called 'RedRocks Pizza'. Place was nice in decor and all, and the pizza wasn't so bad. We left and went to the Barnes and Noble Booksellers store in the area. I saw a book I have been wanting to get that's been released but only in hardback! I'd rather wait and spend only about $8 for the paperback instead of paying up $25.95 for the hardback now.

Learned that mum and dad are probably coming to the States in December for a visit, so very excited about that. :) Christ, I see them more and I do my little brother who lives miles away from me! Such is the way of Michael, I suppose.

I hope that kaasan and tousan will come to visit us in the States again sometime soon, but as I hear it, my MIL might come on her own next year. My FIL will probably be caught up with work and all. :/ My SIL at one point expressed an interest in visiting the States again too, but I don't know about that, since she's fairly new to the workforce, right out of college etc. Still would be nice to see her again though.

I love this time of year, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas. Winter is also my favorite season. I just hate the small (gradually growing) tidbits of Christmas being thrown at us ALREADY in October. Ridiculous. As one comic said, "Santa needs to stop poking his ass into other holidays." Right you are sir.

Here are some recent photos from last week along with a video of one of the puppies I walk. :) Ganbatte everyone. Have a good week!



me trying to get Grace to go up for a walk



abandoned parking lot I found while walking a dog in Alexandria the other day

apartment building I go to - where one of the dogs lives

certain things we bought for the apartment recently - rug for the kitchen, outside mat for the balcony, and a light-up pumpkin to be festive for Halloween :)