Oof.

I have to crow excitedly about the fact that my stepsister Renee finally came to get the IKEA computer desk that's been sitting in my kitchen for weeks on end.

I have my kitchen back. I can once again do my bustling slowdance as I cook and prepare things, without dodging the jabby edges and heavy lurkishness of the Jerker furniture blocking up half of the walkspace between the stove and the sink.

Oh, it is glorious. I wish I weren't ready to pass out from exhaustion, though, so I would perhaps have the strength to stand jauntily in the middle of the kitchen, hands upon hips, and emit a loud, self-satisfied, "Ha ha!"

I didn't ask anything monetarily for the desk - I mostly just wanted to get rid of it. But then Renee and I got to chatting, as we do, and it turns out she's re-doing her kitchen, and getting a new set of pots and pans, which means that some poor, sad pieces of Calphalon are now mine for the taking.

It is usually entirely unlike me to be so domestically excited by such things. But, c'mon. Big kitchen, Calphalon. Mmm, cooking with good tools.

I think I shall go make a smoothie with Schleppy the Crappy Blender, to celebrate.

And then maybe take a nap, because I was up really late, and then I got up really early and lugged two very very very very heavy duffels to the laundromat and got it all done in two hours (including the bus rides and walking to and from). My body hurts.

It's also warm enough out that even with a significant amount of snow cover on the ground, I stood talking to Renee for at least half an hour without my coat on, and I only felt slightly chilled. This is crazy-ass weather for this time of year for Chicago, you must understand. Not like I'm complaining - the gas bill should be much more tolerable this coming cycle.