Five for Friday (v. 128)

1) (Wo)man down

I got sick last weekend. I don’t know if I can blame my new immunosuppressant drugs or just being around too many people last week (maybe both?), but it knocked me down good. Nothing major, just your garden-variety virus, manifesting in a sore/scratchy throat, a runny nose, sneezing, chest congestion, and an annoying cough. I felt so run-down and was, once again, grateful for my childless existence, where I could rest as much as I wanted to and watch way too much TV. How do parents do it?! How do you recover from illness while wrangling kids? BLESS.

I started feeling more like myself yesterday. I am not a very good patient, though, and I’m nervous about getting sick more regularly now that I’m on methotrexate. Eeps. (Lisa, tell me it will all be okay!)

2) Bonus time

I got my bonus! Yay! While I am going to be a good girl and put the vast majority into savings (and use some of it to pay off my last student loan, yassss!), I’ve also decided to treat myself to two big-ticket items I’ve been eyeing for my apartment. The first is an outdoor couch for my patio. I found a reasonably priced option on Wayfair that will fit perfectly on my patio, and I’m dreaming of spending summertime afternoons on the patio with a cold drink, my book, and hopefully a cat or two.

The second item is a new dining room table. While my current table has served me well (and is going to be a beast to move out of this apartment), I’m ready for something different. The table is counter-height, which means my feet dangle from the chairs when I’m sitting and it’s not very comfortable. I’m looking for something that is standard height and maybe even a bit bigger, since my new dining area can accommodate that! I’m still deciding on this one.

3) My oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe

Last week, I mentioned that I have a favorite oatmeal chocolate chip recipe that I love and then forgot to link it out. Here it is!!! I love the addition of molasses. It really kicks up the flavor and makes the cookies oh-so-chewy. Please let me know if you give it a try!

4) Chip is 8!

Monday was Chip’s 8th birthday, which I’m still trying to wrap my mind around. For newer readers, Chip is my mom’s dog, my fur-brother, and I love him like he’s my own. Here are some photos of puppy Chip to put a smile on your face today:

5) Weekend plans

What’s happening this weekend? Today, I’ve truly got nothing going on, so maybe I will actually watch The Martian like I planned a few weeks ago. Tomorrow, I have a writing date with Mikaela, and then I’m meeting up with my mom for lunch and furniture shopping. And Sunday will be a low-key day, although we’re doing game night with the fam in the late afternoon/early evening, which will be a change for us!