my upstairs neighbors didn't have the courtesy to let me know they were replacing their hot-water gas furnace today. but i knew something was going on because i could hear the banging of pipes and scraping of heavy things being moved around in the basement. there was also a truck parked outside. i get self-conscious when i hear people in the basement because the floor of my house is paper-thin and i can hear them talking, likewise they can hear all the embarrassing noises i might potentially make when i'm using the bathroom. but imagine my surprise when i suddenly lost water in the early afternoon. fortunately i'd already done all my water-related business. instead of marching downstairs to complain, i took that as my cue to run some errands.

today wasn't as cold or windy as yesterday, but the temperature was still hovering in the upper 20's to lower 30's. i biked down to the somerville target to buy new twin sheets. next door was a cw price that was going out of business so i checked that out first. they had some cheap sheets, but none in the color or the material that i wanted. back at target, i was kind of disappointed with the linen selection. where was the cheap fitted sheets made from soft jersey material? i finally decided on a set on sale in red, threshold organic cotton fiber 325 thread count for $22.99 (originally $27.99). i just wanted a fitted sheet, but it also came with a flat sheet (what do you do with this?), and a single pillowcase (i sleep with 2 pillows, i need 2 cases). while i was there, i also checked out the garden department. they had some seeds, but very little selection.

since it was such a nice day out (albeit cold), i parked below prospect hill and walked up the stairs to the summit to get a poor man's view of somerville, cambridge, and boston. i took a couple of google photo spheres before descending.

next stop was market basket, where i bought a small carton of half-and-half (for my black teas and cheese macaronis) and a large pack of store brand deluxe toilet paper ($10 for 24 rolls). i never tried the market basket brand until i came back from china, where my parents bought a supply for the girl that was staying at my place during the summer while i was gone. up until that point, i'd already settled on my toilet paper of choice after many years of trial and error: charmin basic. but turns out the MB variety is just as good. i had the foresight to bring a bungie cord and tied the toilet paper to my rear rack as i biked back home.

i dropped off my things and locked my bike. i noticed the truck was gone, but was happy to note that the water had been turned back on. i went out again, this time to the dollar store to buy more plastic cups ($2.35 for 34 count). i also got some candy and a three-legged 13 inch plant stand ($3). on the way back i went to star market and bought some more green grapes.

i changed the sheets in the guest bedroom. i'm not one of those people who washes new sheets (or new clothes for that matter) before using them. i figured if i washed them, they wouldn't be new anymore. in the store these sheets felt pretty soft, but once on the bed, they have a satin-like sheen to them. as for the flat sheet, i used it to cover up the box spring. i did not use the pillow case however. can't wait to go to bed tonight, feel the luxury of organic cotton! snuggle under the covers with my ebooks (trying to read the race underground by doug most and bunker hill - a city, a siege, a revolution by nathanial philbrick), my downloaded movies/shows (exodus, focus, the royals, one big happy), and my netflix (family guy, danger 5, magnum pi).

heated up a can of campbell chicken rice soup for dinner, added a handful of kale and a stalk of chopped celery to jazz it up and make the soup somewhat healthier. i've got nothing against canned soups, but i think it'd be better if i made my own, just to keep my sodium to a minimum. i'm thinking some low sodium chicken broth (heck, i could probably also make my own), some beans, some rice, and then more kale and celery.