My new furniture is supposedly being delivered tomorrow, which means that sometime today I really need to finish painting the trim and baseboards. I don't think it will take me all that long, but it's just something that really has to be done today. Today's already turning into a full day, though not much that has to be done--more stuff that I want to do, which is pretty cool. It's also going to be a pretty physically active day: I plan on running this morning with the latest class out at the Academy (they just started this class, though, so they won't be running very far), then I do want to get to the gym later and get my usual workout in there, and then my first dance class is tonight--which I am just absurdly looking forward to. It's going to be nice to have something else to get me out of the house--something else to do besides work.

So anyway, since I've been painting the bedroom, I've had to sleep out on the couch a couple of nights due to persistent paint smell. The couch is comfortable enough for sleeping (albeit a bit too soft--I like sleeping on a firm surface) but it really threw the dog off. He's fairly used to me sleeping at odd hours due to my changeable schedule, but he's learned that if I'm in the bed, I'm to be allowed to sleep for at least four to five hours before he jumps on the bed and starts licking my face (and I swear I think he recharges his slobber in the toilet before he starts said face-licking.) And, he's also used to me sleeping on the couch--but only for naps--and so he's used to allowing me no more than two hours sleep before he takes the flying leap onto the couch (and me) to wake me up so that I'll get up and play with him,

Remember, if you will, that this dog weighs a hundred pounds. It's a helluva way to wake up.

Fortunately I'm somewhat used to operating on minimal sleep. Also fortunate that I had a partner in the car with me the last two nights I worked. We generally do not ride two people in a car--we have too large an area to cover and not enough manpower so we patrol solo. However, the guy who was riding with me had worked for us for several years, left nine months ago to try a different job, and then realized that he still loved police work too much. Since he'd only been gone for the nine months he didn't have to be put through our field training program, but he did want to ride with someone for a couple of days just to get back in the groove of things. There are advantages to having a partner: it's a whole lot easier to be proactive because if you get out on a group of suspicious characters hanging around in a known narcotics area, you don't have to wonder how close the nearest backup is. Same thing with traffic stops.

But I think I still prefer patrolling solo for the most part.

And, speaking of work, I'm still not back on my old team, though I know that people are actually working on the problem now. I'm hoping to switch back when this pay period ends. [fingers crossed.]