Mood up to a 4.5-5 (from the 2-3 I've been lately)

Yeah! I went skating for an entire hour :) I did not think that was possible for me at this time. I was very pleasantly surprised. Thanks to Lyle for making me sleep the last two days/nights. I guess I really can't function without much sleep (dammit!!), but I didn't think it was this bad. I felt more and more insane as the days of bad sleep continued--well, I guess I still feel like I'm not sane exactly... I do feel more in control of my agitated mind though. Eek, I'm probably going to be sore tomorrow because I haven't skated in months. While skating, I stopped sometimes to look at the birds :) This time I didn't forget to take my binoculars. I saw long-billed curlews, american avocets, snowy egrets, loons, grebes, american coots, various seagulls, a caspian tern, plovers, sand pipers, dowitchers, , pigeons, and even a brown pelican.

I am so lucky. Two weekends ago, Mom and I went to Yosemite National Park. My right leg was bothering me, so we didn't go hiking at all. We did get to see the full moon. The full moon is beautiful, but I don't know why I'm so strongly mesmerized by it--like I'm in a trance or something. Last weekend, Lyle and I went to Monterey. I loved the hotel room's bay window. We got to visit the aquarium two days in a row too. The sound of the waves... pelicans...being lazy bums...mmmm...