Since I've been such a Negative Nellie and had such a craptastic attitude lately, I thought I would post some of the things I'm thankful for, (being as Thanksgiving is nigh) and get myself out of my funk.
By the way, Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays (Halloween being first). What's not to love? A day that is nationally dedicated to getting families together to share a meal in the spirit of gratefulness. It can get pricey, but it doesn't have to be. There's no pressure to purchase gifts, not a lot of commercialness, and it involves wonderful food. I love it and I have so many fond memories of family gatherings at Thanksgiving.
I thought I would list some of the more obscure things I'm thankful for. Of course I'm thankful for the obvious ones too: family, friends, a home, a job, a car.
So here's my thankfulness list of things that I'm thankful for that are a bit different:
Car heaters, and cranking up the heat until it's like a rolling sauna. Even better if the sun is beaming in through the window. Because I'm always cold, this is a special treat for me, but no one else can stand it, so I can only do it when I'm alone.
Fuse beads (you place these little plastic beads on templates and then iron them and they fuse into a solid design) because they will keep my girls occupied for a good 2 hours straight.
Digital cameras. Seriously, they're magic.
My pets. They bring me so much joy, and they each have their own gentle soul. They teach us the basics of love. Plus they are four legged weather gauges. My little cat Mouse just came in and I reached down to pet her and realized it must have started to rain as the weather man predicted. Good job Mouse!
Glasses (the wearing kind, not the drinking kind). 'Nuff said.
Laughing fits. I love it when I'm with someone (especially my kids) and something funny happens and we laugh until our cheeks hurt and I end up snorting and actually crying which makes it even that much funnier, and then we forget what started us laughing in the first place because the actual laughing is so hilarious and contagious. Wow, I love that!
Days when I'm cozy in bed and having the alarm wake me up and then realizing that it's my day off and I can snuggle down and sleep as long as I want.
M&M's, especially if they're melty...mmmmm....
Calculators (math is NOT my strong suit!)
Minor daily miracles, like choosing to keep my mouth shut and realizing later I would've said something really stupid, or just by chance being in the right place at the right time, or having everything fall into place just like I planned, and like today's minor miracle: my son called and said he finally found a job (after about 2 months of searching), but that's not the miracle really, the miracle is that he got a job at Godiva Chocolates! I am one proud mama, let me tell you! And I've decided that I will have to visit him much more frequently now...when he's at work...and when there's free samples available...and maybe he'll give me the rejects that get dropped on the floor or that someone sneezes on...(ok I'm not really THAT bad...), but how cool is that?!
Have a very plentiful, wonderful, grateful Thanksgiving everyone!
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Monday, November 24, 2008
I Hate Money, It's the Root of All Stress
I thought I was doing ok with all this so-called "down-sizing" and losing our house and everything. Until Sis came home tonight and told me she needed $125 for soccer. Then all this money stress we've been going through came up and hit me smack in the face. I don't have it. I don't know when I'll have it. She may as well asked me for a million dollars at this stage of the game.
Then I went in the bedroom and cried for 15 minutes. Because I can't afford to pay for all the stuff my kids need, and because we lost our flippin' house, and because I have 2 jobs that pay crappy wages, and because Christmas is coming, and I think I officially hate Christmas now. What kind of attitude is that?
Lots of deep breathing followed this pity party, and nothing really changed. I just have to keep pulling myself up by the bootstraps and plug along, and hopefully, hopefully things will get better.
Sigh....money stinks.
Then I went in the bedroom and cried for 15 minutes. Because I can't afford to pay for all the stuff my kids need, and because we lost our flippin' house, and because I have 2 jobs that pay crappy wages, and because Christmas is coming, and I think I officially hate Christmas now. What kind of attitude is that?
Lots of deep breathing followed this pity party, and nothing really changed. I just have to keep pulling myself up by the bootstraps and plug along, and hopefully, hopefully things will get better.
Sigh....money stinks.
Feeding Time !
Nat was feeding the guinea pigs carrots while they sat in her lap today.
Suey would like to be in Nat's lap too, feeding on the guinea pigs!
She's showing great restraint, but never takes her eyes off of them. She's come a long way since we first got them though! Can you say "obsessed"?
We certainly never take our eyes off her when the guinea pigs are out, but she is a really good girl.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
The Bridge is OK
One of the speakers at church today was relating a time when she listened to the Holy Ghost, and hastily left the bay area without making the stops they had planned. This particular day she was waiting for her husband in the car and said she kept watching the clock and something kept telling her they needed to leave right away.
The time was about 4:45 when he returned and she urged him to just get them home. She said they ended up going over a different bridge instead of over the Bay Bridge. This was October 17, 1989, the day the Loma Prieta quake hit the bay area at 5:04pm.
When she got home her neighbor tearfully told her that the Bay Bridge had "fallen down". Had she made a stop or gone the other route she would've been on the Bay Bridge at the fateful time of the big earthquake of 1989.
My girls, at the time this lady was speaking, were busily making paper boats out of Sacrament programs and putting their little plastic animals in them, but as soon as the speaker had said that the Bay Bridge had fallen down, Nat's face fell and she looked up at me on the verge of tears. She said, "You mean we can't visit Cam anymore?" I had to explain to her that this event happened many years ago and that they fixed the bridge and made it stronger so it wouldn't happen again.
Nat was very relieved to hear that! It was funny that I didn't even think she was listening, but she did hear that part and made the connection. It was just really sweet to see the concern she had for her brother. I hope that maybe she absorbed some of the lesson of listening to promptings as well.
The time was about 4:45 when he returned and she urged him to just get them home. She said they ended up going over a different bridge instead of over the Bay Bridge. This was October 17, 1989, the day the Loma Prieta quake hit the bay area at 5:04pm.
When she got home her neighbor tearfully told her that the Bay Bridge had "fallen down". Had she made a stop or gone the other route she would've been on the Bay Bridge at the fateful time of the big earthquake of 1989.
My girls, at the time this lady was speaking, were busily making paper boats out of Sacrament programs and putting their little plastic animals in them, but as soon as the speaker had said that the Bay Bridge had fallen down, Nat's face fell and she looked up at me on the verge of tears. She said, "You mean we can't visit Cam anymore?" I had to explain to her that this event happened many years ago and that they fixed the bridge and made it stronger so it wouldn't happen again.
Nat was very relieved to hear that! It was funny that I didn't even think she was listening, but she did hear that part and made the connection. It was just really sweet to see the concern she had for her brother. I hope that maybe she absorbed some of the lesson of listening to promptings as well.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
A Nature Walk Of Sorts
The girls were so cute today, they wanted to take the guinea pigs for a walk. They searched for something they could transport them in and finally found a basket for each.
Away we went with the dog and two baskets of pigs for a walk around the block.
The first thing we saw was an acorn woodpecker (I looked it up-and even found a picture).
He was on a telephone pole and the pole was just riddled with holes. In each of these holes was an acorn and the woodpecker was busily pounding another into a hole. It was pretty darned cool.
Then we met an older couple walking their dog. Nat asked them if they wanted to see the guinea pigs (she's famous for striking up conversations with people-just like her dad). The lady made a big fuss over them and I could tell she got a kick out of the girls and their little pets.
I think the guineas liked their little walk too. The girls sure love those two little rodents. They're very lucky critters in my opinion (plus they are super cute and very gentle, what's not to love).
Away we went with the dog and two baskets of pigs for a walk around the block.
The first thing we saw was an acorn woodpecker (I looked it up-and even found a picture).
He was on a telephone pole and the pole was just riddled with holes. In each of these holes was an acorn and the woodpecker was busily pounding another into a hole. It was pretty darned cool.
Then we met an older couple walking their dog. Nat asked them if they wanted to see the guinea pigs (she's famous for striking up conversations with people-just like her dad). The lady made a big fuss over them and I could tell she got a kick out of the girls and their little pets.
I think the guineas liked their little walk too. The girls sure love those two little rodents. They're very lucky critters in my opinion (plus they are super cute and very gentle, what's not to love).
A Hunting I Will Go
I've been job hunting recently. The job at the printing shop is driving me crazy. Two things about it in fact:
1. There's not much interaction with others. We each go to our respective area or machine and put our shoulders to the wheel until time's up. (oh and there are no windows so it's a bit depressing).
2. The boss' assistant who thinks she needs to micro-manage everyone and everything to feel important, including a press man who's been printing for 20 years. Everyone kind of cringes when she comes to the back of the shop. Usually she goes on a rant that wastes everyone's time but changes nothing. Grrrr.
I knew this job would be fairly temporary being that there's really no prospect of advancement and there are no benefits, but I was hoping I'd be able to stick with it longer than this. Oh well, lesson learned.
I applied to our local hospital for a patient registration position and interviewed on Tuesday. I didn't get the position, however. The lady that interviewed me said I did well and she encouraged me to apply again because she's expecting another position to open up. She also said she had 25 applicants and usually when she has an opening she has about 4 or 5 applicants. Apparently there are a lot of folks looking for work right now.
So yesterday I applied at our local Starbucks (did you know they offer benefits? I guess that's why their drinks are so expensive). I was a bit surprised when I came across this question: "What do you like most about coffee?" Well, since I don't drink it (or anything containing caffeine) and the few times I've tasted it I was appalled by the bitter, nasty taste, I thought quick and wrote, "The aroma". And it's not even a lie. I do indeed love the smell of it. I don't think I'm required to drink the stuff to work there, right?
Well, here's hoping something comes up soon that is a little more, um..., tolerable and decaffeinated.
1. There's not much interaction with others. We each go to our respective area or machine and put our shoulders to the wheel until time's up. (oh and there are no windows so it's a bit depressing).
2. The boss' assistant who thinks she needs to micro-manage everyone and everything to feel important, including a press man who's been printing for 20 years. Everyone kind of cringes when she comes to the back of the shop. Usually she goes on a rant that wastes everyone's time but changes nothing. Grrrr.
I knew this job would be fairly temporary being that there's really no prospect of advancement and there are no benefits, but I was hoping I'd be able to stick with it longer than this. Oh well, lesson learned.
I applied to our local hospital for a patient registration position and interviewed on Tuesday. I didn't get the position, however. The lady that interviewed me said I did well and she encouraged me to apply again because she's expecting another position to open up. She also said she had 25 applicants and usually when she has an opening she has about 4 or 5 applicants. Apparently there are a lot of folks looking for work right now.
So yesterday I applied at our local Starbucks (did you know they offer benefits? I guess that's why their drinks are so expensive). I was a bit surprised when I came across this question: "What do you like most about coffee?" Well, since I don't drink it (or anything containing caffeine) and the few times I've tasted it I was appalled by the bitter, nasty taste, I thought quick and wrote, "The aroma". And it's not even a lie. I do indeed love the smell of it. I don't think I'm required to drink the stuff to work there, right?
Well, here's hoping something comes up soon that is a little more, um..., tolerable and decaffeinated.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
How I Was Taught Empathy
I remember getting a stuffed animal for Christmas one year when I was probably 6ish. It was a beige dog that looked as if it were sleeping. For some reason I wasn't that thrilled with this little dog. It's head was a little floppy, and since it was sleeping, it didn't really lead to a lot of imaginative play.
My sister and I would usually get identical gifts when we were younger, but my sister seemed to like her floppy sleeping pup. When she caught on that I didn't really like mine, she taught me something I'll never forget.
That something was that even inanimate objects have feelings too.
My sister laid a guilt trip on me so thick about how this little dog was so sad that I didn't love it, and how all it wanted was some attention. The poor thing was just thrown aside and neglected and now it's feelings were deeply hurt. It couldn't help it if it was made sleeping and floppy, but it deserved to be loved just the same.
Well, I felt horrible after that! Who wouldn't? So I named this little dog "Puppy" (I was original with names like that) and slept with that stuffed animal for at least the next 6 years. That soft little animal was loved and cherished like no other because I felt so bad about how I had treated it at the beginning.
That was really typical of my sister. She has always felt bad for the spiders that get squashed to the flowers that get plucked. Everything has feelings and a soul to her. Her unique perspective has led her to do dog rescue and fostering, and to being a strict vegetarian.
Last year I came across a Dr Seuss book called What Was I Scared Of. I fell in love with it at first read. It reminded me so much of my sister that I had to get her a copy too.
This is one of Dr Seuss' books that's not that well known. It's about a dude (for lack of a better word for the Seuss character) who is just going about his business when he gets spooked by some "pale green pants with nobody inside them". It seems these pants are kind of stalking him when he's just going about his errands, and it's becoming more and more unnerving to him, so much so that he hides in a brickle bush for 2 nights straight.
The next thing you know this guy has to go to a gloomy field and pick a peck of snide, "then I reached inside a snide bush, and the next that I knew, I felt my hand touch someone, and I bet that you know who". And then there's my favorite line, "and there I was caught in the snide,
and in that dreadful place, those spooky empty pants and I were standing face to face".
And finally after much screaming and shrieking on the dude's part, this happens, "but then a strange thing happened, why those pants began to cry, those pants began to tremble, they were just as scared as I" because, "...I was just as strange to them, as they were strange to me."
Then the best part (the part that channels my sister), "I put my arm around their waist, and sat right down beside them. I calmed them down, poor empty pants with nobody inside them." Gosh, I really felt for those pants! It's hard to make friends when you're just a pair of pale green pants with nobody inside you!
It all ends happily with the Seuss-dude and the empty pants smiling and being friendly whenever they cross each other's paths after that.
Thanks, Big Sis for teaching me empathy. Stuffed puppies, empty pants, spiders, I've never seen them the same way since.
My sister and I would usually get identical gifts when we were younger, but my sister seemed to like her floppy sleeping pup. When she caught on that I didn't really like mine, she taught me something I'll never forget.
That something was that even inanimate objects have feelings too.
My sister laid a guilt trip on me so thick about how this little dog was so sad that I didn't love it, and how all it wanted was some attention. The poor thing was just thrown aside and neglected and now it's feelings were deeply hurt. It couldn't help it if it was made sleeping and floppy, but it deserved to be loved just the same.
Well, I felt horrible after that! Who wouldn't? So I named this little dog "Puppy" (I was original with names like that) and slept with that stuffed animal for at least the next 6 years. That soft little animal was loved and cherished like no other because I felt so bad about how I had treated it at the beginning.
That was really typical of my sister. She has always felt bad for the spiders that get squashed to the flowers that get plucked. Everything has feelings and a soul to her. Her unique perspective has led her to do dog rescue and fostering, and to being a strict vegetarian.
Last year I came across a Dr Seuss book called What Was I Scared Of. I fell in love with it at first read. It reminded me so much of my sister that I had to get her a copy too.
This is one of Dr Seuss' books that's not that well known. It's about a dude (for lack of a better word for the Seuss character) who is just going about his business when he gets spooked by some "pale green pants with nobody inside them". It seems these pants are kind of stalking him when he's just going about his errands, and it's becoming more and more unnerving to him, so much so that he hides in a brickle bush for 2 nights straight.
The next thing you know this guy has to go to a gloomy field and pick a peck of snide, "then I reached inside a snide bush, and the next that I knew, I felt my hand touch someone, and I bet that you know who". And then there's my favorite line, "and there I was caught in the snide,
and in that dreadful place, those spooky empty pants and I were standing face to face".
And finally after much screaming and shrieking on the dude's part, this happens, "but then a strange thing happened, why those pants began to cry, those pants began to tremble, they were just as scared as I" because, "...I was just as strange to them, as they were strange to me."
Then the best part (the part that channels my sister), "I put my arm around their waist, and sat right down beside them. I calmed them down, poor empty pants with nobody inside them." Gosh, I really felt for those pants! It's hard to make friends when you're just a pair of pale green pants with nobody inside you!
It all ends happily with the Seuss-dude and the empty pants smiling and being friendly whenever they cross each other's paths after that.
Thanks, Big Sis for teaching me empathy. Stuffed puppies, empty pants, spiders, I've never seen them the same way since.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Adjustments
We're trying to get the last of the stuff out of the old house and down here to the new house this weekend.
There was no push to get out of the old house so we've been kind of dragging our feet. Ya know sometimes when you move and you have to be out of your old place and into your new one in a weekend? Well, we didn't have that pressure to get it done, and I was glad, but now I'm thinking it would've been better to have been motivated to do it all at once, because now it's getting to be a drag.
There are some adjustments going from about 1800 square feet of living space to 1050 square feet. Especially when the kitchen is MUCH smaller. Luckily we have a large garage off the kitchen which is becoming the kitchen storage overflow with the use of a bookshelf and a cabinet (that there wasn't any room for inside the house anyway).
The other adjustment has been the master bedroom closet. I had an entire closet to myself at the other house and about half of it was filled with bellydance costuming, so now Mike and I are fighting for what little space there is and trying to figure out a creative solution (that doesn't look hokey. Sorry Mike!)
We now live on a street with a sidewalk, and we have an actual mailbox in front. We've had a post office box for the last 20 years, so this is really weird. It took me a few days to remember to even check it.
And now that I'm within walking distance of one of my jobs (my Monday through Friday gig) I have been late twice! How embarrassing is that? I know it only takes a couple of minutes to get there so I end up just doing that one more thing that makes me late by a minute or two. We always have a production meeting first thing so I can't even sneak in and get away with no one noticing. In fact the boss loves to greet late-comers with, "Good afternoon!"
I hoping the adjustment period is near it's end and that I'll feel completely settled soon. Now for more unpacking....
There was no push to get out of the old house so we've been kind of dragging our feet. Ya know sometimes when you move and you have to be out of your old place and into your new one in a weekend? Well, we didn't have that pressure to get it done, and I was glad, but now I'm thinking it would've been better to have been motivated to do it all at once, because now it's getting to be a drag.
There are some adjustments going from about 1800 square feet of living space to 1050 square feet. Especially when the kitchen is MUCH smaller. Luckily we have a large garage off the kitchen which is becoming the kitchen storage overflow with the use of a bookshelf and a cabinet (that there wasn't any room for inside the house anyway).
The other adjustment has been the master bedroom closet. I had an entire closet to myself at the other house and about half of it was filled with bellydance costuming, so now Mike and I are fighting for what little space there is and trying to figure out a creative solution (that doesn't look hokey. Sorry Mike!)
We now live on a street with a sidewalk, and we have an actual mailbox in front. We've had a post office box for the last 20 years, so this is really weird. It took me a few days to remember to even check it.
And now that I'm within walking distance of one of my jobs (my Monday through Friday gig) I have been late twice! How embarrassing is that? I know it only takes a couple of minutes to get there so I end up just doing that one more thing that makes me late by a minute or two. We always have a production meeting first thing so I can't even sneak in and get away with no one noticing. In fact the boss loves to greet late-comers with, "Good afternoon!"
I hoping the adjustment period is near it's end and that I'll feel completely settled soon. Now for more unpacking....
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Pigs In Love
If you are interested in owning a guinea pig, please check out these sites FIRST and read up on their care http://www.cavyspirit.com/ and http://www.guinealynx.info/ .
Well, because I didn't have enough going on what with moving, working two jobs, taking care of my kids, going to visit Kathy in San Francisco, etc. I decided we needed to adopt another guinea pig in the middle of it all.
I've been looking for a companion for Moe, our guinea pig, since I read up on them and found out that they are used to living in herds and are happier having a friend. Far be it from me to deprive my pet of happiness, so I started trying to find another pig.
Well, a lady at church said they had a guinea pig that she wanted to find a home for because her daughter didn't pay any attention to it anymore. She said they moved it out into the barn so at least it could be around the rabbits (that they raise for 4H) for company. That did it for me, because when I was reading about guineas it also said they shouldn't be kept in cold, drafty places, and I couldn't stand the thought of this poor pig out in a barn.
So we had the Great Guinea Pig Rescue on the Sunday after the big move.
When we went to go get this little piggy, we found her in an open barn in a metal rabbit cage (my reading told me GP's also shouldn't be kept in that kind of cage, because unlike rabbits, it will deform their feet). She was just a sweetheart from the moment she was handed over to us.
Needless to say, Moe was very happy to have a companion and the newly re-named Guinea Girl Gidget was happy to have a warm cage and lots of fresh veggies. We also soon found out what the guinea pig mating call sounds like! (Kind of like a load purr).
I didn't want to get a female, because it's not my intention to have guinea babies, let alone contribute to the pet population when there are so many that need homes already, but the former owners said that this guinea pig had babies a few years ago and then they tried to breed her a couple other times and nothing happened. Here's hoping we have an infertile pig. (Especially since I priced guinea pig neutering and it runs around $200!)
We sure love little Gidget. She loves to be held, and since her arrival, a formerly shy and hard to catch Moe has gotten very social as well (he'd rather be held and be with his girl than to be left in the cage by himself).
Last Sunday the girls held a wedding for Moe and Gidget, complete with formal attire
and Nat's hamster Otis officiating.
The happy couple then enjoyed a lovely wedding banquet.
Well, because I didn't have enough going on what with moving, working two jobs, taking care of my kids, going to visit Kathy in San Francisco, etc. I decided we needed to adopt another guinea pig in the middle of it all.
I've been looking for a companion for Moe, our guinea pig, since I read up on them and found out that they are used to living in herds and are happier having a friend. Far be it from me to deprive my pet of happiness, so I started trying to find another pig.
Well, a lady at church said they had a guinea pig that she wanted to find a home for because her daughter didn't pay any attention to it anymore. She said they moved it out into the barn so at least it could be around the rabbits (that they raise for 4H) for company. That did it for me, because when I was reading about guineas it also said they shouldn't be kept in cold, drafty places, and I couldn't stand the thought of this poor pig out in a barn.
So we had the Great Guinea Pig Rescue on the Sunday after the big move.
When we went to go get this little piggy, we found her in an open barn in a metal rabbit cage (my reading told me GP's also shouldn't be kept in that kind of cage, because unlike rabbits, it will deform their feet). She was just a sweetheart from the moment she was handed over to us.
Needless to say, Moe was very happy to have a companion and the newly re-named Guinea Girl Gidget was happy to have a warm cage and lots of fresh veggies. We also soon found out what the guinea pig mating call sounds like! (Kind of like a load purr).
I didn't want to get a female, because it's not my intention to have guinea babies, let alone contribute to the pet population when there are so many that need homes already, but the former owners said that this guinea pig had babies a few years ago and then they tried to breed her a couple other times and nothing happened. Here's hoping we have an infertile pig. (Especially since I priced guinea pig neutering and it runs around $200!)
We sure love little Gidget. She loves to be held, and since her arrival, a formerly shy and hard to catch Moe has gotten very social as well (he'd rather be held and be with his girl than to be left in the cage by himself).
Last Sunday the girls held a wedding for Moe and Gidget, complete with formal attire
and Nat's hamster Otis officiating.
The happy couple then enjoyed a lovely wedding banquet.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Long Lost Pen Pals, at Long Last Reunite
In the summer of '75, when I was 11, a new girl moved in a few houses down. My friends and I were curious about this new-comer, and finally we approached her and made friends.
Turns out she was from Wisconsin and was visiting her older sister for a month in California. Well, despite the fact that Kathy was 13 and closer in age to my sister (who was 14), we became fast friends. I remember hanging out in her sister's house. Her sister had an amazing collection of plants, plus one of those cool wicker chairs that hung from the ceiling (it was the '70s after all).
Kathy also introduced me to the wonders of yard sale-ing. I was amazed at what I could buy for a mere quarter.
We spent a lot of time together that summer. It sure felt longer than one month. After Kathy left and went back home to Wisconsin, we were dedicated pen pals. We kept in touch through high school, marriages, kids, you name it. Once in a while we would call, but mostly we wrote letters.
We saw each other once, for a day, when Kathy and her family were out visiting her sister again. Her sister had since moved to the bay area and I had moved from my home town, but we managed to both travel and get together and introduce our kids to one another. That was in 1996.
Kathy and I are not so much pen pals anymore. We email and call occasionally, but somehow we still manage to stay close. She let me know about a month ago that she would be out visiting her sister once again in November. I told her we HAD to make a point of getting together again.
I drove down to San Francisco on the 3rd of November and met Kathy at her sister's home. It was so strange, but not for reasons that you might think. The strange thing is that it wasn't strange at all. No awkwardness. I felt like I had just seen her yesterday and not over a decade ago. She said she felt the same way. It was really nice actually.
We had a great time despite the rainy and blustery weather. We ate Mexican food, did some sight seeing at Crissy Field,
ducked into a coffee shop,
and peeked into some fun boutiques. Later her sister fixed home made pizza while we sat around and chatted.
What a wonderful day, and what a blessing to have such a close bond to this friend who lives so many miles away.
Turns out she was from Wisconsin and was visiting her older sister for a month in California. Well, despite the fact that Kathy was 13 and closer in age to my sister (who was 14), we became fast friends. I remember hanging out in her sister's house. Her sister had an amazing collection of plants, plus one of those cool wicker chairs that hung from the ceiling (it was the '70s after all).
Kathy also introduced me to the wonders of yard sale-ing. I was amazed at what I could buy for a mere quarter.
We spent a lot of time together that summer. It sure felt longer than one month. After Kathy left and went back home to Wisconsin, we were dedicated pen pals. We kept in touch through high school, marriages, kids, you name it. Once in a while we would call, but mostly we wrote letters.
We saw each other once, for a day, when Kathy and her family were out visiting her sister again. Her sister had since moved to the bay area and I had moved from my home town, but we managed to both travel and get together and introduce our kids to one another. That was in 1996.
Kathy and I are not so much pen pals anymore. We email and call occasionally, but somehow we still manage to stay close. She let me know about a month ago that she would be out visiting her sister once again in November. I told her we HAD to make a point of getting together again.
I drove down to San Francisco on the 3rd of November and met Kathy at her sister's home. It was so strange, but not for reasons that you might think. The strange thing is that it wasn't strange at all. No awkwardness. I felt like I had just seen her yesterday and not over a decade ago. She said she felt the same way. It was really nice actually.
We had a great time despite the rainy and blustery weather. We ate Mexican food, did some sight seeing at Crissy Field,
ducked into a coffee shop,
and peeked into some fun boutiques. Later her sister fixed home made pizza while we sat around and chatted.
What a wonderful day, and what a blessing to have such a close bond to this friend who lives so many miles away.
I'm a Sap
I cried watching High School Musical 3 today. A total, absolute sap, that's me.
I got the day off being that it's Veteran's Day and the kids didn't have school. It was high time we saw the new High School Musical movie, so we grabbed one of Shelby's good friends, and off we went.
The kids in the movie are now in their senior year and are going to their last prom and putting together their last musical and preparing to go off to different colleges, and say goodbye, and sniff, sniff, I got all sentimental and started sobbing. Sheesh!
I started thinking about this being Sis's senior year, and how most of her class she's known since preschool, and how I've watched all those kids grow up together, and she's going to have her last prom, and everyone's going to go off to different colleges, and have to say goodbye, and sniff, there I went again. Wah!
I also thought about my high school experience and how horrible it was and how I never went to a prom, or fit in, and missed out on so much, then I really had a pity party and started crying again!
Yeah, I'm a complete sap. I did really enjoy the movie though. Especially when Gabriella and Troy waltzed on the rooftop...sniff, sniff, sob!
I got the day off being that it's Veteran's Day and the kids didn't have school. It was high time we saw the new High School Musical movie, so we grabbed one of Shelby's good friends, and off we went.
The kids in the movie are now in their senior year and are going to their last prom and putting together their last musical and preparing to go off to different colleges, and say goodbye, and sniff, sniff, I got all sentimental and started sobbing. Sheesh!
I started thinking about this being Sis's senior year, and how most of her class she's known since preschool, and how I've watched all those kids grow up together, and she's going to have her last prom, and everyone's going to go off to different colleges, and have to say goodbye, and sniff, there I went again. Wah!
I also thought about my high school experience and how horrible it was and how I never went to a prom, or fit in, and missed out on so much, then I really had a pity party and started crying again!
Yeah, I'm a complete sap. I did really enjoy the movie though. Especially when Gabriella and Troy waltzed on the rooftop...sniff, sniff, sob!
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Small But Mighty Primary Program
Well, we did our Primary Sacrament Presentation today. The Primary President put me in charge of it this year.I was pretty proud of Nat. The last two years she has refused to participate, but this year she was very much into it (she loves a microphone--who knew?!)
I had to get up at the beginning and say a little something. No small feat for me. Public speaking is not something I relish--I don't get up and give my testimony, and I've turned down the Bishop when asked to do a talk for Sacrament, I've said a prayer twice, but that's it. I try to avoid getting up in front of the congregation at all costs.
I decided to just kind of wing it instead of write out something. First I had to brag a little that my children made up a full 1/3 of the Primary (we only have 6 girls in our whole Primary class). Then I decided to relay my own experience in Primary (here it is in a nutshell): I was born into the church but we quit going when I was 11, so the next 27 years I was completely inactive, but because of the strong foundation Primary gave me, I always considered myself a Mormon, I chose not to smoke or drink, and when I would attend other churches I would come away thinking, "that was nice, but there was just something missing". I told how I felt that the teachings were in my heart, even though I couldn't recall specifics, and because of my strong testimony of Primary, it eventually led me back to church. And then I added how it was kind of funny that when I did come back to church that they gave me a calling to teach Primary, so I was kind of right back where I left off.
The kids did a fantastic job, reading their parts and singing. I saw quite a few folks dabbing their eyes. There's just something about a group of sweet little girls singing about Jesus that is very heartwarming. We have one little almost 4-year-old who literally was belting out the songs. I'll give her credit though, she knew almost every word to every song. Too cute.
The Primary President and I had so many folks come up to us afterward and tell us that was the best program yet. We had visitors from Washington that told us that they had been to 3 other wards during their travels and seen other Primary Programs but ours was the best. It was really gratifying to know that our small group of girls touched so many with their sweet spirits.
One gentleman in our ward (my former home teacher) lost his grown son exactly a week ago today, and the funeral was yesterday. He really looked like the weight of the world was on his shoulders as I saw him sitting in the congregation, but as the girls got up and sang and recited scriptures I really saw the light come back into his eyes and saw him smiling. I was very touched that these children could bring him some joy after he suffered such a great loss. He made a point of coming up to me afterward and saying how much it meant to him. He was actually the one who gave me my calling in Primary and he didn't know until today how perfect that calling was for me.
I was really proud to be a part of the program and extremely proud of each and every one of the girls in our very small Primary.
I had to get up at the beginning and say a little something. No small feat for me. Public speaking is not something I relish--I don't get up and give my testimony, and I've turned down the Bishop when asked to do a talk for Sacrament, I've said a prayer twice, but that's it. I try to avoid getting up in front of the congregation at all costs.
I decided to just kind of wing it instead of write out something. First I had to brag a little that my children made up a full 1/3 of the Primary (we only have 6 girls in our whole Primary class). Then I decided to relay my own experience in Primary (here it is in a nutshell): I was born into the church but we quit going when I was 11, so the next 27 years I was completely inactive, but because of the strong foundation Primary gave me, I always considered myself a Mormon, I chose not to smoke or drink, and when I would attend other churches I would come away thinking, "that was nice, but there was just something missing". I told how I felt that the teachings were in my heart, even though I couldn't recall specifics, and because of my strong testimony of Primary, it eventually led me back to church. And then I added how it was kind of funny that when I did come back to church that they gave me a calling to teach Primary, so I was kind of right back where I left off.
The kids did a fantastic job, reading their parts and singing. I saw quite a few folks dabbing their eyes. There's just something about a group of sweet little girls singing about Jesus that is very heartwarming. We have one little almost 4-year-old who literally was belting out the songs. I'll give her credit though, she knew almost every word to every song. Too cute.
The Primary President and I had so many folks come up to us afterward and tell us that was the best program yet. We had visitors from Washington that told us that they had been to 3 other wards during their travels and seen other Primary Programs but ours was the best. It was really gratifying to know that our small group of girls touched so many with their sweet spirits.
One gentleman in our ward (my former home teacher) lost his grown son exactly a week ago today, and the funeral was yesterday. He really looked like the weight of the world was on his shoulders as I saw him sitting in the congregation, but as the girls got up and sang and recited scriptures I really saw the light come back into his eyes and saw him smiling. I was very touched that these children could bring him some joy after he suffered such a great loss. He made a point of coming up to me afterward and saying how much it meant to him. He was actually the one who gave me my calling in Primary and he didn't know until today how perfect that calling was for me.
I was really proud to be a part of the program and extremely proud of each and every one of the girls in our very small Primary.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Brief Update
Halloween--need to post about that later and post the photos as well.
Saturday (November 1) a group of about 10 men from the Elder's Quorum at church showed up on Saturday at 9am to help us move. By 10:30am we were unloading at our new place. I have never seen a house empty out so fast. I've moved a lot, and this by far was the easiest and fastest! Kudos to the Elder's Quorum!
Now to get everything to fit. We went from 1800 square feet to just over 1000. I do believe another yard sale is in order!
Sunday Shel came down with a sore throat, and was diagnosed with Strep throat on Monday. Now Nat and I have the creeping crud, but it doesn't seem like Strep--yet.
Monday I got together with a long lost friend in San Francisco. That's a whole post in itself!
We moved the cats down to the new place on Tuesday--howling and yowling the whole way. My little feral cat Mouse, whom I was so worried about, made the move fairly easily and is adjusting well. Opie, our kitty boy, is happy to be with us too. I'm sure they were wondering where we and all our belongings went!
We adopted a guinea pig on Sunday---again I think that's a whole other post for you critter lovers.
We're still getting odds and ends out of the old house (we have lots of time, but it looks like the short sale is going to go through ok, and we'll be out from under it soon!)
We're getting ready for our big Primary Sacrament presentation for Sunday at church (which I'm in charge of this year!) Looks like Nat will actually participate this year. I have to give a talk though---eek! (At least it's just a short talk at the beginning, but still!)
We should have DSL by Monday. Goodness, I've missed my blog and internet!
Saturday (November 1) a group of about 10 men from the Elder's Quorum at church showed up on Saturday at 9am to help us move. By 10:30am we were unloading at our new place. I have never seen a house empty out so fast. I've moved a lot, and this by far was the easiest and fastest! Kudos to the Elder's Quorum!
Now to get everything to fit. We went from 1800 square feet to just over 1000. I do believe another yard sale is in order!
Sunday Shel came down with a sore throat, and was diagnosed with Strep throat on Monday. Now Nat and I have the creeping crud, but it doesn't seem like Strep--yet.
Monday I got together with a long lost friend in San Francisco. That's a whole post in itself!
We moved the cats down to the new place on Tuesday--howling and yowling the whole way. My little feral cat Mouse, whom I was so worried about, made the move fairly easily and is adjusting well. Opie, our kitty boy, is happy to be with us too. I'm sure they were wondering where we and all our belongings went!
We adopted a guinea pig on Sunday---again I think that's a whole other post for you critter lovers.
We're still getting odds and ends out of the old house (we have lots of time, but it looks like the short sale is going to go through ok, and we'll be out from under it soon!)
We're getting ready for our big Primary Sacrament presentation for Sunday at church (which I'm in charge of this year!) Looks like Nat will actually participate this year. I have to give a talk though---eek! (At least it's just a short talk at the beginning, but still!)
We should have DSL by Monday. Goodness, I've missed my blog and internet!
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Pun'kins
Last weekend we spent time with our cousins at the pumpkin patch.
Here are the girls with their little cousin Emma. Some lady stepped into the picture at the last moment and I got an unfortunate shot of her rear end. Oh well.
...and this ladies and gentlemen, is our little preemie nephew Zach at 5 1/2 months. He's a happy little breastfed baby, can ya tell!?
Here are the girls with their little cousin Emma. Some lady stepped into the picture at the last moment and I got an unfortunate shot of her rear end. Oh well.
...and this ladies and gentlemen, is our little preemie nephew Zach at 5 1/2 months. He's a happy little breastfed baby, can ya tell!?
They Like Us! They Really, Really Like Us!
We finally found a house to rent. Hooray!
We can start moving in this coming Monday. Hooray!
We'll be living right across the street from our Bishop. Hooray!
I'll be close enough to walk to work. Hooray!
We can even walk to church, the historic downtown area and the community pool. Hooray!
Now I have to really get serious about moving and packing and cleaning and all that that entails. Boo. Ugh. and Boo!
I'm feeling very overwhelmed at the thought of it, but am so thankful that we finally found someone who would allow pets and rent to us. Yay. Boo. Yay.
We can start moving in this coming Monday. Hooray!
We'll be living right across the street from our Bishop. Hooray!
I'll be close enough to walk to work. Hooray!
We can even walk to church, the historic downtown area and the community pool. Hooray!
Now I have to really get serious about moving and packing and cleaning and all that that entails. Boo. Ugh. and Boo!
I'm feeling very overwhelmed at the thought of it, but am so thankful that we finally found someone who would allow pets and rent to us. Yay. Boo. Yay.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Oh, the Politics (and I'm not talking about the election)
At my restaurant job, they decided to train me as a fill-in hostess. Saturday night was the first night that I was on my own.
Our restaurant is run a bit differently from others (from my understanding). Our waitresses don't have sections of tables that are theirs, rather the tables are assigned as customers are seated, and it's the hostess' job to make sure the tables and amount of customers are as evenly distributed as possible so that the waitresses make as close to the same amount of tips as possible.
This is where the politics enter. I've seen the waitresses throw fits because they didn't get what they perceived as an even amount of customers. The hostess training me told me that no other restaurant would put up with this, but at ours we do. Go figure.
At any rate, Saturday was thankfully slow for my maiden voyage hostessing. The tables and sitting times were working out perfectly. One waitress was going to get 3 more customers than the other, but that's as good as I could make it. I was feeling fairly confident (and competent, for that matter).
Well, when it came time to add up the tips, one of the waitresses got $114, the other about $65, for reasons that were out of my control. I could immediately smell trouble. My only hope was that the waitress with the big bucks would just keep it to herself.
Guess what? She didn't. Miss Got-Bucks comes up, picks up her tickets and declares, "Holy Cow! Oh wow! I had a better night than I thought! Woo look at this!" Then the other waitress, gets all sullen and starts going over her tickets with a fine tooth comb, and complaining, "Well, it didn't even pay me to show up tonight." (Although $65 is nothing to sneeze at in my opinion, considering that the hostess doesn't even GET any tips!)
I tried to explain that I did my best to keep it even, but it fell on deaf ears. I'm a terrible hostess because I didn't force the customers to tip her exactly the same as the other waitress. Grrrrrrr.
I'm sure that suggesting that they pool their tips and then divvy them up equally wouldn't go over too well. It would take all the competition out of it, and make the hostess' job way too easy and less stressful. Or maybe they could just be good sports, and not gloat, or fight over customers and tips. Yeah, that's not going to happen either. Oh well.
Our restaurant is run a bit differently from others (from my understanding). Our waitresses don't have sections of tables that are theirs, rather the tables are assigned as customers are seated, and it's the hostess' job to make sure the tables and amount of customers are as evenly distributed as possible so that the waitresses make as close to the same amount of tips as possible.
This is where the politics enter. I've seen the waitresses throw fits because they didn't get what they perceived as an even amount of customers. The hostess training me told me that no other restaurant would put up with this, but at ours we do. Go figure.
At any rate, Saturday was thankfully slow for my maiden voyage hostessing. The tables and sitting times were working out perfectly. One waitress was going to get 3 more customers than the other, but that's as good as I could make it. I was feeling fairly confident (and competent, for that matter).
Well, when it came time to add up the tips, one of the waitresses got $114, the other about $65, for reasons that were out of my control. I could immediately smell trouble. My only hope was that the waitress with the big bucks would just keep it to herself.
Guess what? She didn't. Miss Got-Bucks comes up, picks up her tickets and declares, "Holy Cow! Oh wow! I had a better night than I thought! Woo look at this!" Then the other waitress, gets all sullen and starts going over her tickets with a fine tooth comb, and complaining, "Well, it didn't even pay me to show up tonight." (Although $65 is nothing to sneeze at in my opinion, considering that the hostess doesn't even GET any tips!)
I tried to explain that I did my best to keep it even, but it fell on deaf ears. I'm a terrible hostess because I didn't force the customers to tip her exactly the same as the other waitress. Grrrrrrr.
I'm sure that suggesting that they pool their tips and then divvy them up equally wouldn't go over too well. It would take all the competition out of it, and make the hostess' job way too easy and less stressful. Or maybe they could just be good sports, and not gloat, or fight over customers and tips. Yeah, that's not going to happen either. Oh well.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
21 Years Ago Today...
My little boy was born. Of course he's not so little anymore, but he'll always be MY little boy.
Cam was a great little kid. Everyone made such a fuss about how difficult it was to raise a boy and how rambunctious and hard to control boys were. Well, that wasn't my experience at all. Cam was an extremely mellow child. When he was 2 my mom and I would take him and go antique shopping. We would kind of see the store owners cringe when they saw Cam come in with us, but he was always very content just looking at things. If something caught his eye he would be content just to look at it for the longest time and absorb every little detail of it.
I would often get comments from people who would be surprised at my son's mellow behavior. Of course I would chalk it up to my superior parenting skills, but I now realize that it was just his personality and had nothing to do with me at all (energetic child Sis came along and gave me that reality check!)
Cam always loved vehicles and trains of all kinds. He had to have a car in each hand when we left to go somewhere and he called them "go-go's". His dad taught him all about trains when he was very young and it wasn't unusual to go by the train yard and hear him in the back seat naming all the cars he saw, "hopper car, auto rack, tank car", etc. He also knew the difference between a diesel and steam locomotive.
Cam has an eye for details. When he was little he would draw vehicles and wouldn't be satisfied until he had drawn every reflector and lug nut on them. He is now majoring in computer animation in college and I think his eye for detail is now paying off for him. He's done some amazing projects and sculptures.
Cam is an excellent big brother. He's always set a good example for all his little sisters. I think honesty and patience are two of his strong suits.
Anyway, he's just an all around great kid (can I still call him a kid now that he's in his 20's?), and I'm an extremely lucky mom to have him for a son. Happy Birthday Cam!
Cam was a great little kid. Everyone made such a fuss about how difficult it was to raise a boy and how rambunctious and hard to control boys were. Well, that wasn't my experience at all. Cam was an extremely mellow child. When he was 2 my mom and I would take him and go antique shopping. We would kind of see the store owners cringe when they saw Cam come in with us, but he was always very content just looking at things. If something caught his eye he would be content just to look at it for the longest time and absorb every little detail of it.
I would often get comments from people who would be surprised at my son's mellow behavior. Of course I would chalk it up to my superior parenting skills, but I now realize that it was just his personality and had nothing to do with me at all (energetic child Sis came along and gave me that reality check!)
Cam always loved vehicles and trains of all kinds. He had to have a car in each hand when we left to go somewhere and he called them "go-go's". His dad taught him all about trains when he was very young and it wasn't unusual to go by the train yard and hear him in the back seat naming all the cars he saw, "hopper car, auto rack, tank car", etc. He also knew the difference between a diesel and steam locomotive.
Cam has an eye for details. When he was little he would draw vehicles and wouldn't be satisfied until he had drawn every reflector and lug nut on them. He is now majoring in computer animation in college and I think his eye for detail is now paying off for him. He's done some amazing projects and sculptures.
Cam is an excellent big brother. He's always set a good example for all his little sisters. I think honesty and patience are two of his strong suits.
Anyway, he's just an all around great kid (can I still call him a kid now that he's in his 20's?), and I'm an extremely lucky mom to have him for a son. Happy Birthday Cam!
Monday, October 13, 2008
A Trip to the City
Cam turns 21 on Wednesday, so we made a trip to San Francisco Sunday to spend the day with him.
We started out early---tried to leave by 8am, but at least the girls and I were loaded to go in the car at 8:20 (Sis and I even both showered and did full hair and make-up). And there we sat...because anytime Mike goes with us, we always end up waiting for him. I'm not sure what last minute things he always finds to do, but he's putting his manly gender to shame when he has 4 girls that are ready to go before he is!
It was a beautiful day in the bay area. Sunny and warm. And let me tell ya, we were ready for warm after we got snow (yes, snow!) on Friday (it didn't stick, but still!).
I got Cam some luggage because he and his girlfriend Cassie are going to Disneyland on Thursday and he had nothing but a black plastic garbage bag to pack his belongings in, and that would be a nightmare to check in and out at the airport (ok, so he actually has a small duffel bag, but the garbage bag sounded more dramatic).
I hid little goodies in all the compartments of his luggage. Such college guy staples as mac and cheese, Cheezit, Skittles and the like.
We then headed for Golden Gate Park and walked around Stow Lake. It was really pretty. Fleet Week was going on at the wharf and we were treated to a show by the Blue Angels. Very cool...and loud.
Lots of photo ops and cute turtles and geese abound at Stow Lake.
Even after our very filling lunch at Chipotle (my first time there...honestly those burritos are the size of a small vehicle, but SO good!), everyone was pushing to have Cam's birthday pie. (He requested my famous puddin' pie-an Oreo cookie crust filled with chocolate and vanilla pudding- instead of cake.) We headed to the beach for pie eating. It was good, but windy!
Lots of playing in the waves ensued along with more photo ops.
We parted ways at around 6pm. We were actually on the freeway at 6:00--We made it across the Bay Bridge at 7:20pm. It took us that long to go maybe all of 5 miles. I thought I was going to lose my mind. I'll give the girls credit though, they never complained. Nat entertained herself by writing stories about potatoes and someone named Mr. B who had to go pee. Sis and Shel entertained themselves by taking (hundreds) of photos of themselves,
(yeah, there's lots more just like that, but you get the idea...) and Mike gave me a running commentary on all the interesting things found on the side of the road. He resisted getting out and picking up very handy items like bungee cords, gloves and towels. That showed real restraint. We even saw an old rat walking along the roadside. Fun times.
It was definitely hardest on me, the driver. I was beginning to get a little road rage.
I guess in addition to all the extra people in town for fleet week, there was also traffic from people attending the 49ers and Raiders' football games. So much for the less traffic on Sunday theory.
We were pooped when we got home, but it was a fun trip. We love spending time with Cam and Cass, and we had some serious family bonding time crammed into my car for hours on end (inching along...aaarggg!).
We started out early---tried to leave by 8am, but at least the girls and I were loaded to go in the car at 8:20 (Sis and I even both showered and did full hair and make-up). And there we sat...because anytime Mike goes with us, we always end up waiting for him. I'm not sure what last minute things he always finds to do, but he's putting his manly gender to shame when he has 4 girls that are ready to go before he is!
It was a beautiful day in the bay area. Sunny and warm. And let me tell ya, we were ready for warm after we got snow (yes, snow!) on Friday (it didn't stick, but still!).
I got Cam some luggage because he and his girlfriend Cassie are going to Disneyland on Thursday and he had nothing but a black plastic garbage bag to pack his belongings in, and that would be a nightmare to check in and out at the airport (ok, so he actually has a small duffel bag, but the garbage bag sounded more dramatic).
I hid little goodies in all the compartments of his luggage. Such college guy staples as mac and cheese, Cheezit, Skittles and the like.
We then headed for Golden Gate Park and walked around Stow Lake. It was really pretty. Fleet Week was going on at the wharf and we were treated to a show by the Blue Angels. Very cool...and loud.
Lots of photo ops and cute turtles and geese abound at Stow Lake.
Even after our very filling lunch at Chipotle (my first time there...honestly those burritos are the size of a small vehicle, but SO good!), everyone was pushing to have Cam's birthday pie. (He requested my famous puddin' pie-an Oreo cookie crust filled with chocolate and vanilla pudding- instead of cake.) We headed to the beach for pie eating. It was good, but windy!
Lots of playing in the waves ensued along with more photo ops.
We parted ways at around 6pm. We were actually on the freeway at 6:00--We made it across the Bay Bridge at 7:20pm. It took us that long to go maybe all of 5 miles. I thought I was going to lose my mind. I'll give the girls credit though, they never complained. Nat entertained herself by writing stories about potatoes and someone named Mr. B who had to go pee. Sis and Shel entertained themselves by taking (hundreds) of photos of themselves,
(yeah, there's lots more just like that, but you get the idea...) and Mike gave me a running commentary on all the interesting things found on the side of the road. He resisted getting out and picking up very handy items like bungee cords, gloves and towels. That showed real restraint. We even saw an old rat walking along the roadside. Fun times.
It was definitely hardest on me, the driver. I was beginning to get a little road rage.
I guess in addition to all the extra people in town for fleet week, there was also traffic from people attending the 49ers and Raiders' football games. So much for the less traffic on Sunday theory.
We were pooped when we got home, but it was a fun trip. We love spending time with Cam and Cass, and we had some serious family bonding time crammed into my car for hours on end (inching along...aaarggg!).
Thursday, October 9, 2008
The Art of Photography, Dance, and Friendship
So as I said in my previous post, we had a real, honest-to-goodness photographer come out and take photos of us getting ready for our dance performance.
I was so impressed by the detail that her eye caught, versus what we normal humans see. She has a true talent.
I asked her if she wouldn't mind photographing me in my cabaret costume before I put on my more tribal style costume for the performance.
I love how she caught the movement.
This photographer has a special place in my heart, as she is my ex-sister-in-law. (Although I really hate putting "ex" in front of anyone's title). I prefer to call her my kids' aunt.
We haven't spoken for 13 or so years, I guess. We had just recently (over the past year) gotten back in touch by reading each other's blogs. I am thankful that we are now friends again. I am really flattered that she was interested enough in our troupe and in bellydance to come photograph us. Thanks, Karen!
I was so impressed by the detail that her eye caught, versus what we normal humans see. She has a true talent.
I asked her if she wouldn't mind photographing me in my cabaret costume before I put on my more tribal style costume for the performance.
I love how she caught the movement.
This photographer has a special place in my heart, as she is my ex-sister-in-law. (Although I really hate putting "ex" in front of anyone's title). I prefer to call her my kids' aunt.
We haven't spoken for 13 or so years, I guess. We had just recently (over the past year) gotten back in touch by reading each other's blogs. I am thankful that we are now friends again. I am really flattered that she was interested enough in our troupe and in bellydance to come photograph us. Thanks, Karen!
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Pictures from our Dance Performance
Our troupe danced at a local festival this weekend. Here are some photos. We also had a professional photographer come and take pictures of us getting ready and rehearsing. Can't wait to see those, but for now these will do:
Paid Exercise--Woo!
So at my print shop job, we have about a billion 2-color decals we're printing. (A billion was my rough estimate, but I was actually informed it's only 800, well 2-colors so that means 1600 impressions. Sure seems like a billion, give-or-take.)
These decals are 4'x6' sheets and we print them on our biggest press which we call "Bob" (for reasons unknown to me). My job the other day was to grab one end of the decal out of the press, while another "highly skilled production assistant" grabbed the other end. We then took the decal towards the back of the shop, around another press and placed it on the conveyor that takes it through the big UV heater-thingy that cures the ink. The other schmuck, I mean worker, then walked back to Bob, while I skirted around the big heater thingy and caught the decal on the way out, stacked it, and then made the rest of my circuit back to where I started.
47 steps total each time. We did it 367 times that day. That's over 17,000 steps. Whew! I kind of felt it too! It is said that we should each walk 10,000 steps a day, so I definitely achieved my quota that day!
The boss came out to check on our progress, and I told him I wanted to be paid by the mile instead of the hour that day. He said he couldn't do that, but he wouldn't charge me for the exercise class. Funny guy, that boss.
We did another 100 or so yesterday and finished all the blue ink (I know that doesn't add up to 800, but some other "highly skilled production assistants" had their turn on another day). So it looks like I'll still be getting plenty of exercise in the coming week. Woo-hoo!
These decals are 4'x6' sheets and we print them on our biggest press which we call "Bob" (for reasons unknown to me). My job the other day was to grab one end of the decal out of the press, while another "highly skilled production assistant" grabbed the other end. We then took the decal towards the back of the shop, around another press and placed it on the conveyor that takes it through the big UV heater-thingy that cures the ink. The other schmuck, I mean worker, then walked back to Bob, while I skirted around the big heater thingy and caught the decal on the way out, stacked it, and then made the rest of my circuit back to where I started.
47 steps total each time. We did it 367 times that day. That's over 17,000 steps. Whew! I kind of felt it too! It is said that we should each walk 10,000 steps a day, so I definitely achieved my quota that day!
The boss came out to check on our progress, and I told him I wanted to be paid by the mile instead of the hour that day. He said he couldn't do that, but he wouldn't charge me for the exercise class. Funny guy, that boss.
We did another 100 or so yesterday and finished all the blue ink (I know that doesn't add up to 800, but some other "highly skilled production assistants" had their turn on another day). So it looks like I'll still be getting plenty of exercise in the coming week. Woo-hoo!
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Hair and Hairy Hamsters
I cut Nat and Shel's hair a couple nights ago. Just a trim on Shelby's, but took quite a bit off of Nat's. Now they look even more alike.
I was proud of Nat today. She has been working with her hamster every day and today it paid off. She was finally able to hold him.
We've had Otis for about 3 weeks and he's been a bit shy and has been a biter. I'll give Nat credit though, she's been able to coax him out into his ball, then transfer him into a little open fence type cage where she pets him. She has slowly worked with him, all on her own accord.
Way to go, Nat! Maybe she'll follow in Cesar Millan's footsteps and become the Hamster Whisperer!
I was proud of Nat today. She has been working with her hamster every day and today it paid off. She was finally able to hold him.
We've had Otis for about 3 weeks and he's been a bit shy and has been a biter. I'll give Nat credit though, she's been able to coax him out into his ball, then transfer him into a little open fence type cage where she pets him. She has slowly worked with him, all on her own accord.
Way to go, Nat! Maybe she'll follow in Cesar Millan's footsteps and become the Hamster Whisperer!
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
A Letter To A Teen
Dear Teenager,
I am mean. I admit it. It's not fair. I don't know the whole story. There's a good explanation. And I know it's not what I think.
However, I was once a careless, irresponsible, immortal teenager. I did far worse things than you. I have regrets. I sometimes cringe when I look back on some of my choices. I often wonder how I didn't get hurt...or worse.
I am sincerely trying to do what's best to keep you safe and teach you responsibility. If that means that you don't speak to me for days, and that you resent me, and wish I'd fall off the face of the earth, I'm willing to pay the price, as difficult as that is.
I wish I could always let you do what ever you want and that your life was nothing but one fantastic adventure after another, but that won't teach you about the real world. The real world is harsh. Bosses are harsh, reality is harsh, paying your own bills and buying your own groceries is harsh.
Being entirely responsible for your own well being is tough, and that's when making a good decision vs a poor decision is crucial. You need to learn that now, and not when there's no one around to help you.
You'll look back someday and know how good you had it, back before you were officially a grown up. I know that you long for your freedom and you will have it before you know it. Just remember that I'm being mean for a reason, that I'm being unfair for a reason, and that it will all make sense to you someday.
Love, Mom
I am mean. I admit it. It's not fair. I don't know the whole story. There's a good explanation. And I know it's not what I think.
However, I was once a careless, irresponsible, immortal teenager. I did far worse things than you. I have regrets. I sometimes cringe when I look back on some of my choices. I often wonder how I didn't get hurt...or worse.
I am sincerely trying to do what's best to keep you safe and teach you responsibility. If that means that you don't speak to me for days, and that you resent me, and wish I'd fall off the face of the earth, I'm willing to pay the price, as difficult as that is.
I wish I could always let you do what ever you want and that your life was nothing but one fantastic adventure after another, but that won't teach you about the real world. The real world is harsh. Bosses are harsh, reality is harsh, paying your own bills and buying your own groceries is harsh.
Being entirely responsible for your own well being is tough, and that's when making a good decision vs a poor decision is crucial. You need to learn that now, and not when there's no one around to help you.
You'll look back someday and know how good you had it, back before you were officially a grown up. I know that you long for your freedom and you will have it before you know it. Just remember that I'm being mean for a reason, that I'm being unfair for a reason, and that it will all make sense to you someday.
Love, Mom
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Sacrament Bread
Why is it that the bread passed during Sacrament at Church tastes so good? My girls often wonder this. Tearing up Wonder Bread into small pieces at home and eating them just isn't the same. It just tastes like bland old white bread (they know, they've tried).
Today during Sacrament, Natalie whispers to me, "Why does the bread always taste so good?" I told her that I think it's because of the blessing they give it.
She then says, "So we're eating the blessing?"
Hmmm...maybe we are.
Today during Sacrament, Natalie whispers to me, "Why does the bread always taste so good?" I told her that I think it's because of the blessing they give it.
She then says, "So we're eating the blessing?"
Hmmm...maybe we are.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Button, Button, Who's Got The Button? Me, Apparently.
Remember earlier in the week when I crowned myself the idiot du jour over screwing up the button job? Well, today I got the news that guess what? The customer ordered the wrong button to be printed, so I had to do them all over again! All 300 of them. Whoopee...
The button machine is not at all state of the art or automated in any way. Let's just say it's very labor intensive and to make one button you need to pull on the handle twice.
Yeah, me and the button making machine are intimate friends now. The upside is that the muscle in my right arm is getting bigger.
Just say NO to buttons people, some over-worked print shop employee will thank you.
The button machine is not at all state of the art or automated in any way. Let's just say it's very labor intensive and to make one button you need to pull on the handle twice.
Yeah, me and the button making machine are intimate friends now. The upside is that the muscle in my right arm is getting bigger.
Just say NO to buttons people, some over-worked print shop employee will thank you.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Miss Moo Turns 9
My little girl celebrated her ninth birthday today. As is my tradition, I will dedicate a post to her.
One of her nicknames is Miss Moo. "Moo" was her nursing word, and it kind of just stuck. Poor kid.
This is the child I had for my sister (not on purpose, genetics are just a funny thing). Shelby is so like her aunt that sometimes it's a bit scary.
First the hair. They both have this deceptively thick, stick straight, dark blond hair (well, my sister's hair was dark blond as a child anyway--I haven't seen her natural color since she was in junior high school.)
Nat and Shel
Then they both have ice blue eyes. Shelby didn't get the dark blue eyes from her daddy's side of the family, she got my sister's eyes.
Aunt Tracy can be a bit of a neat freak, and more than once I've caught Shelby in her room organizing stuff, and once she came to me and said, "I'm bored, can I clean the bathroom mirrors?" (Yeah, like I had to think about that one!), but what kind of kid thinks it's fun to clean stuff?
Both Auntie and Shelby have incredibly poor eyesight and had to get glasses at an early age (although Shel will only wear them at school when she has to), and after Shelby almost flunked 3rd grade due to her poor math grades, my sister confessed that she just never really got math either and really struggled with it.
Besides being her auntie's mini-me, Shelby is a wonderful sister. She's a kind little girl that loves animals (just like aunt Tracy coincidentally). I think the most common adjective I've heard to describe her (especially from her teachers) is "sweet".
Shel can be a bit of a "blonde" at times, but she has no problem laughing at herself. She is tiny for her age, but dynamite comes in small packages, as they say.
She also would love to be a teenager NOW. She still likes to play little girl stuff, but if she had her way she would dress like a teen, have a cell phone, contact lenses and date boys.
Shelby is an absolute baby lover. She's very competent when it comes to holding, changing and cuddling little ones (Ha! Aunt Tracy, one thing that differs between you two!) Shelby was a little over 2 1/2 when Nat came along and I remember how she would go stick her pinky knuckle into Nat's mouth to soothe her when she fussed, and she could change Nat's diapers by herself by the time she was 3. (Hey, Nat was #4, so I was pretty lax by then and didn't mind dirty fingers in the baby's mouth, or a toddler changing the diaper. I knew she'd live through it.)
So yes, I'm blessed to be her mom, though I'm still convinced she's more genetically related to my sister. I'm excited to see her grow into a young woman and see where her life leads her.
One of her nicknames is Miss Moo. "Moo" was her nursing word, and it kind of just stuck. Poor kid.
This is the child I had for my sister (not on purpose, genetics are just a funny thing). Shelby is so like her aunt that sometimes it's a bit scary.
First the hair. They both have this deceptively thick, stick straight, dark blond hair (well, my sister's hair was dark blond as a child anyway--I haven't seen her natural color since she was in junior high school.)
Nat and Shel
Then they both have ice blue eyes. Shelby didn't get the dark blue eyes from her daddy's side of the family, she got my sister's eyes.
Aunt Tracy can be a bit of a neat freak, and more than once I've caught Shelby in her room organizing stuff, and once she came to me and said, "I'm bored, can I clean the bathroom mirrors?" (Yeah, like I had to think about that one!), but what kind of kid thinks it's fun to clean stuff?
Both Auntie and Shelby have incredibly poor eyesight and had to get glasses at an early age (although Shel will only wear them at school when she has to), and after Shelby almost flunked 3rd grade due to her poor math grades, my sister confessed that she just never really got math either and really struggled with it.
Besides being her auntie's mini-me, Shelby is a wonderful sister. She's a kind little girl that loves animals (just like aunt Tracy coincidentally). I think the most common adjective I've heard to describe her (especially from her teachers) is "sweet".
Shel can be a bit of a "blonde" at times, but she has no problem laughing at herself. She is tiny for her age, but dynamite comes in small packages, as they say.
She also would love to be a teenager NOW. She still likes to play little girl stuff, but if she had her way she would dress like a teen, have a cell phone, contact lenses and date boys.
Shelby is an absolute baby lover. She's very competent when it comes to holding, changing and cuddling little ones (Ha! Aunt Tracy, one thing that differs between you two!) Shelby was a little over 2 1/2 when Nat came along and I remember how she would go stick her pinky knuckle into Nat's mouth to soothe her when she fussed, and she could change Nat's diapers by herself by the time she was 3. (Hey, Nat was #4, so I was pretty lax by then and didn't mind dirty fingers in the baby's mouth, or a toddler changing the diaper. I knew she'd live through it.)
So yes, I'm blessed to be her mom, though I'm still convinced she's more genetically related to my sister. I'm excited to see her grow into a young woman and see where her life leads her.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Sale-ing Along
I've been trying to organize and do a yard sale all summer, and finally got it together this weekend. I'm no stranger to doing yard sales. It seems I've never had much money, so anytime I wanted to go on a trip, or one of the kid's birthdays was coming up, or if I just wanted some extra money for a splurge, I've had a yard sale.
I remember doing one to finance a trip to L.A. to attend a La Leche League Conference. Cam was only 2 and I saved and scrimped and sold anything that wasn't nailed down so that we could ride Amtrak to Anaheim and attend the conference with my best friend and her little girl. We had a wonderful time. It was money well spent.
Now that we're contemplating moving, I am really in the clean out and get rid of mode. I had a lot of extraneous day care toys to unload, as well as kitchen stuff that's piled up. Mike even went through the garage and I was pretty proud that he was actually getting rid of stuff. I know it wasn't easy for him because he's such an "I might need this someday" person!
I always find it funny that the things I expect people to go crazy over generally don't sell and the things I think no one could possibly want go first. It's just weird.
I once had a bunch of stuff donated to me for a yard sale and there was some ugly (to me) pottery pieces among the stuff. I marked it 50 cents each, and the day of the sale I had a couple ladies almost killing each other over it. Turns out it was very collectible McCoy pottery. One man's trash is another's treasure indeed!
This time I had a bunch of holiday decorations to sell that used to be my mom's. She would decorate her house for each holiday with adorable items. I wish I had the motivation to do that, but I don't, so I decided to sell it.
My favorite customers of the day were a young pregnant woman, her little 3ish year-old son, and her mother. They touched me because seventeen or so years ago it could've been me and my mom and my little Cam. The grandma bought one of my son's old toys for her grandson, and was thrilled to buy my mom's Thanksgiving turkey creamer and sugar bowl as well as a Thanksgiving table cloth and hot pads. It just really brought back fond memories of how my mom enjoyed buying stuff for me and the kids and how much fun we used to have on our outings together.
I also had another young woman with a toddler buy a couple of mom's Halloween decorations. She was very nice, and I found out that she's a blogger! So now I have a new blogging friend that I've actually met in the flesh. Fun!
It was a lot of work, but we had a successful sale. It's gratifying to me to see someone excited to take something home and it makes me feel good to know it's going to get used and appreciated rather than sit in a box for years on end. And the money is nice too!
I remember doing one to finance a trip to L.A. to attend a La Leche League Conference. Cam was only 2 and I saved and scrimped and sold anything that wasn't nailed down so that we could ride Amtrak to Anaheim and attend the conference with my best friend and her little girl. We had a wonderful time. It was money well spent.
Now that we're contemplating moving, I am really in the clean out and get rid of mode. I had a lot of extraneous day care toys to unload, as well as kitchen stuff that's piled up. Mike even went through the garage and I was pretty proud that he was actually getting rid of stuff. I know it wasn't easy for him because he's such an "I might need this someday" person!
I always find it funny that the things I expect people to go crazy over generally don't sell and the things I think no one could possibly want go first. It's just weird.
I once had a bunch of stuff donated to me for a yard sale and there was some ugly (to me) pottery pieces among the stuff. I marked it 50 cents each, and the day of the sale I had a couple ladies almost killing each other over it. Turns out it was very collectible McCoy pottery. One man's trash is another's treasure indeed!
This time I had a bunch of holiday decorations to sell that used to be my mom's. She would decorate her house for each holiday with adorable items. I wish I had the motivation to do that, but I don't, so I decided to sell it.
My favorite customers of the day were a young pregnant woman, her little 3ish year-old son, and her mother. They touched me because seventeen or so years ago it could've been me and my mom and my little Cam. The grandma bought one of my son's old toys for her grandson, and was thrilled to buy my mom's Thanksgiving turkey creamer and sugar bowl as well as a Thanksgiving table cloth and hot pads. It just really brought back fond memories of how my mom enjoyed buying stuff for me and the kids and how much fun we used to have on our outings together.
I also had another young woman with a toddler buy a couple of mom's Halloween decorations. She was very nice, and I found out that she's a blogger! So now I have a new blogging friend that I've actually met in the flesh. Fun!
It was a lot of work, but we had a successful sale. It's gratifying to me to see someone excited to take something home and it makes me feel good to know it's going to get used and appreciated rather than sit in a box for years on end. And the money is nice too!
Idiot Du Jour
Well, all that bragging about being productive at work kind of backfired on me today. I'm no stranger to the printing business, and I know that mistakes ALWAYS happen, no matter how long you've been in the business, it's just unavoidable. Envelopes get printed upside down, things get cut wrong, a typo gets through unnoticed... and I've already had a couple minor screw ups in my two weeks at my new job.
Today I was the idiot of the day though. I got a cursory lesson in how to make buttons and was turned loose to do 300 buttons that need to ship out tomorrow. I got into a rhythm and was cooking right along when one of the other employees came by and picked up a button and looked at it. "I guess this one goes in the trash", he said. I wasn't quite sure what he meant, as it looked ok to me. Then he clarified by pointing out that the pin back was on crooked. Uh oh... well, no one told me to check that the pin back was in the right spot... oops!
I broke the news to the boss, that I had screwed up nearly half the order, and he took it in stride thankfully, and the two other employees sympathized with me, and admitted that a lot of times one is only given half the instructions and pretty much left on their own to figure out the rest, but I've been in the printing business long enough to know that you always check the first one and make sure it's perfect. Paying attention to detail is crucial, and I didn't and could have kicked myself.
I told the other two guys that I should make a button that says, "Idiot of the Day" and wear it today, and then whoever screws up can wear it each day. They laughed and said that we'd definitely need more than one button! Yeah, some days are like that. Sigh...
Today I was the idiot of the day though. I got a cursory lesson in how to make buttons and was turned loose to do 300 buttons that need to ship out tomorrow. I got into a rhythm and was cooking right along when one of the other employees came by and picked up a button and looked at it. "I guess this one goes in the trash", he said. I wasn't quite sure what he meant, as it looked ok to me. Then he clarified by pointing out that the pin back was on crooked. Uh oh... well, no one told me to check that the pin back was in the right spot... oops!
I broke the news to the boss, that I had screwed up nearly half the order, and he took it in stride thankfully, and the two other employees sympathized with me, and admitted that a lot of times one is only given half the instructions and pretty much left on their own to figure out the rest, but I've been in the printing business long enough to know that you always check the first one and make sure it's perfect. Paying attention to detail is crucial, and I didn't and could have kicked myself.
I told the other two guys that I should make a button that says, "Idiot of the Day" and wear it today, and then whoever screws up can wear it each day. They laughed and said that we'd definitely need more than one button! Yeah, some days are like that. Sigh...
Monday, September 15, 2008
All Work And No Play
Well, since the correctional officer job has been put on "budgetary hold" by our county, and my snack bar job at the lodge ended after Labor Day, I went job hunting and found a job at a print shop I used to work at some 9 years ago (before I got pregnant and focused on raising my second batch of babies).
My former employers were thrilled to have me back and gave me the hours I wanted, working 8-2 while the girls are in school. I'm still also working at the lodge waitressing/bussing/hostessing on Friday and Saturday nights, plus 2 Wednesday nights a month. Then I teach Sunday school at church, teach a belly dance class on Thursday nights, have belly dance rehearsals on Monday nights and I decided I just wasn't quite busy enough, so I'm cleaning out the garage and organizing a yard sale for this weekend. I'm must be out of my mind.
I'm liking my job. I'm very productive. I mean, there's actually a product at the end of my day (well several really). It's very rewarding to look at a pile of signs, or business cards or a banner and say, "I did that, Ta-dah!" (I usually leave the Ta-dah! out though).
It got me thinking, and I began comparing and contrasting my printing job with how I've spent the last three years doing daycare. It's very fulfilling to me to raise my own kids, but at the end of a day of daycare I certainly never felt like, "Look what I did. Ta-dah!" I just felt drained and overwhelmed.
There is certainly not any job more important than caring for children, but you just don't have anything to show for your toils at the end of the day (well for me I had a house that was trashed, but other than that...). No one looks and says, "Wow, that kid is wonderfully well fed, and emotionally satisfied." But they do notice if the child has fallen and gotten a scrape or is in a foul mood.
I'm sure other people feel quite fulfilled caring for other people's children. I just didn't. It wasn't my passion and I think towards the end I was getting kind of depressed being cooped up all day refereeing quarrels, nagging about homework and cleaning up spills. I hope that doesn't make me a horrible person, I just don't think caring for others' children is my life's calling.
At any rate, because of my very hectic schedule, my blogging has kind of been put on the back burner. Even getting 2 brains cells together to produce a coherent post is a challenge. Hence this rambling and rather inarticulate offering. Oh, well, I'll try to do better next time.
My former employers were thrilled to have me back and gave me the hours I wanted, working 8-2 while the girls are in school. I'm still also working at the lodge waitressing/bussing/hostessing on Friday and Saturday nights, plus 2 Wednesday nights a month. Then I teach Sunday school at church, teach a belly dance class on Thursday nights, have belly dance rehearsals on Monday nights and I decided I just wasn't quite busy enough, so I'm cleaning out the garage and organizing a yard sale for this weekend. I'm must be out of my mind.
I'm liking my job. I'm very productive. I mean, there's actually a product at the end of my day (well several really). It's very rewarding to look at a pile of signs, or business cards or a banner and say, "I did that, Ta-dah!" (I usually leave the Ta-dah! out though).
It got me thinking, and I began comparing and contrasting my printing job with how I've spent the last three years doing daycare. It's very fulfilling to me to raise my own kids, but at the end of a day of daycare I certainly never felt like, "Look what I did. Ta-dah!" I just felt drained and overwhelmed.
There is certainly not any job more important than caring for children, but you just don't have anything to show for your toils at the end of the day (well for me I had a house that was trashed, but other than that...). No one looks and says, "Wow, that kid is wonderfully well fed, and emotionally satisfied." But they do notice if the child has fallen and gotten a scrape or is in a foul mood.
I'm sure other people feel quite fulfilled caring for other people's children. I just didn't. It wasn't my passion and I think towards the end I was getting kind of depressed being cooped up all day refereeing quarrels, nagging about homework and cleaning up spills. I hope that doesn't make me a horrible person, I just don't think caring for others' children is my life's calling.
At any rate, because of my very hectic schedule, my blogging has kind of been put on the back burner. Even getting 2 brains cells together to produce a coherent post is a challenge. Hence this rambling and rather inarticulate offering. Oh, well, I'll try to do better next time.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
House Hunting
We've been looking for a place to rent and have looked at a lot of houses recently. It amazes me how even $100 more in rent can make a huge difference in the quality of house. We've seriously seen some real dives, and then for $125 more, seen a really nice house.
Our stumbling block at this point is finding a place that will take pets, dogs in particular, so the search continues...
Today on a local website I came across this dandy of an ad for a house to rent and it made me chuckle. It sounds more like a desperate plea for permanent tenants:
"Private, clean house on 3/4 acre. Big deck with trees all around. This would be a great place for a couple with one or two children or just the two of you who would love this place and live here for a long time and make it your home."
I guess listing the important details like how many bedrooms and bathrooms didn't occur to them!
Our stumbling block at this point is finding a place that will take pets, dogs in particular, so the search continues...
Today on a local website I came across this dandy of an ad for a house to rent and it made me chuckle. It sounds more like a desperate plea for permanent tenants:
"Private, clean house on 3/4 acre. Big deck with trees all around. This would be a great place for a couple with one or two children or just the two of you who would love this place and live here for a long time and make it your home."
I guess listing the important details like how many bedrooms and bathrooms didn't occur to them!
Friday, September 5, 2008
Sour Face
I bought Shelby some Altoids sour candies the other day, and on our drive home she says, "My mouth can already taste these and I haven't opened them yet!"
Isn't it funny how just thinking about sour can get our mouth all watery? I like how she put it though.
Isn't it funny how just thinking about sour can get our mouth all watery? I like how she put it though.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
I Just Want to Eat You Up!
Why is it when something is just adorable we want to eat it up? That's so weird, isn't it? Babies toes do it to me. I seriously want to eat them up. Others want to eat the whole baby, not me, just the toes please.
It's not that you really want to eat eat them. It's that you somehow want to absorb or envelope the cuteness and keep that squooshy feeling forever. Well, that's my theory anyway.
In the car yesterday Mike and Nat were looking at all the photos that the girls have taken on my cell phone. Ninety percent of the photos were of our dog Suey.
When asked by Daddy why there were so many pictures of the dog, Nat replied, "She's just SO CUTE! I want to take her picture, then print it out and eat it!"
That made me chuckle. I'm glad she draws the line at eating a dog, but she wouldn't mind consuming a photo!
It's not that you really want to eat eat them. It's that you somehow want to absorb or envelope the cuteness and keep that squooshy feeling forever. Well, that's my theory anyway.
In the car yesterday Mike and Nat were looking at all the photos that the girls have taken on my cell phone. Ninety percent of the photos were of our dog Suey.
When asked by Daddy why there were so many pictures of the dog, Nat replied, "She's just SO CUTE! I want to take her picture, then print it out and eat it!"
That made me chuckle. I'm glad she draws the line at eating a dog, but she wouldn't mind consuming a photo!
Thursday, August 28, 2008
My Dad Played Six Man Football
My dad was on the very first football team at his high school. My aunt has been sending me photos that have been posted on a reunion site. It's been really cool to see my dad in his younger days and I have gotten a kick out of reading the captions.
Their high school played six man football, and on further research this is what I found out about it from Wikipedia (if you're at all interested):
Six-man football was developed in 1934 by Chester Nebraska High School coach Stephen Epler as an alternative means for small high schools to field a football team during the Great Depression. (My dad played in the late 40's early 50's. He graduated in 1951).
Six-man is a fast-moving game played on an 80-yard long by 40-yard wide field (instead of the normal 100-yd by 160-ft field used in 11-man football. Furthermore, the game specifies a 15 yard distance from the line of scrimmage for a first down, instead of the normal 10 yards.
And apparently some smaller schools and private schools still play 6 Man.
At any rate, here are some of the photos, with the captions from one of the former players and a friend of my dad:
(My dad is the one you can barely see who's head is just about ready to hit the ground). "If you are wondering about a lineman going down field, in 6 man anybody could go out for a pass. Just one of the different rules. Photographer was George Hatch. He worked on the ice deck and then opened a studio in the [town's] Theater for a while."
"Our field, slight lack of grass. Dick T. carrying the ball (Coach gave him hell, cause he didn't have the end covered), and Chuck (my dad) about to Kill somebody. He weighed all of 135 pounds and was the hardest hitter on the team. Don't remember if we couldn't afford long socks or didn't like them."
This may be my favorite photo of the bunch. My dad is second from left, and is charging in mid-air. From what I've heard about him in his younger days, he was quite a scrapper.
John S. has just handed the ball off to Chuck (dad)... Coach got after me for not doing more of a fake, got after Chuck for the way he's carrying the ball and Don R. for staying on the ground. He didn't miss much.
On the left Jim B., John S., Chuck (dad #71) leading the way. You like facial expressions check these out. [Opposing team] had grass, but I don't think they watered much.
Their high school played six man football, and on further research this is what I found out about it from Wikipedia (if you're at all interested):
Six-man football was developed in 1934 by Chester Nebraska High School coach Stephen Epler as an alternative means for small high schools to field a football team during the Great Depression. (My dad played in the late 40's early 50's. He graduated in 1951).
Six-man is a fast-moving game played on an 80-yard long by 40-yard wide field (instead of the normal 100-yd by 160-ft field used in 11-man football. Furthermore, the game specifies a 15 yard distance from the line of scrimmage for a first down, instead of the normal 10 yards.
And apparently some smaller schools and private schools still play 6 Man.
At any rate, here are some of the photos, with the captions from one of the former players and a friend of my dad:
(My dad is the one you can barely see who's head is just about ready to hit the ground). "If you are wondering about a lineman going down field, in 6 man anybody could go out for a pass. Just one of the different rules. Photographer was George Hatch. He worked on the ice deck and then opened a studio in the [town's] Theater for a while."
"Our field, slight lack of grass. Dick T. carrying the ball (Coach gave him hell, cause he didn't have the end covered), and Chuck (my dad) about to Kill somebody. He weighed all of 135 pounds and was the hardest hitter on the team. Don't remember if we couldn't afford long socks or didn't like them."
This may be my favorite photo of the bunch. My dad is second from left, and is charging in mid-air. From what I've heard about him in his younger days, he was quite a scrapper.
John S. has just handed the ball off to Chuck (dad)... Coach got after me for not doing more of a fake, got after Chuck for the way he's carrying the ball and Don R. for staying on the ground. He didn't miss much.
On the left Jim B., John S., Chuck (dad #71) leading the way. You like facial expressions check these out. [Opposing team] had grass, but I don't think they watered much.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Tech Support Killed My Phone's Battery
Mike has his own computer. A laptop. Mind you he is a complete computer illiterate, but he likes to go online and check his email and download music and such. Of course I always have to go help him every time because he forgets how to do everything between sessions, but nonetheless he has his own computer.
When he got his computer we purchased a wireless router and I was pretty proud of myself for installing it and setting up a network. However, the rotten little router has been temperamental and inexplicably will lose the connection. I generally unplug it, let it sit a while, plug it all back in and we're good to go again. Not so this last time. I tried everything and we even called in our tech-savvy nephew to look at it, but it just wouldn't work.
Mike has been all worked up because he hasn't been able to use his laptop, so today he proposes that we go buy a new router. I am not willing to give up until I've tried everything, so I go online for troubleshooting, and the install guide, and the upgrade, etc. No luck. I finally decide to call tech support.
I end up talking to a nice East Indian fellow, and we go through a lot of unplugging and ip configs, and resetting with no luck. I am on the phone an hour by now, and he decides he needs to send me to a level 2 tech. The level 2 tech comes on with an even heavier accent, and away we go again...unplug, replug, ip config, ping something or other, connection status blah blah blah, and by the third time we do this I tell him, "Ok I'm done, I'm going to trash this piece of flip [router] and go get a new one. Seriously, I've had it." He convinces me to hang in there through one more attempt and to restart my computer and Viola! finally it works!
He explains to me that the computer wasn't communicating with the router even though the router was communicating with the computer. So the computer was sulking because it didn't like the router for some reason and it was saying "Lalalalalala, I'm not listening." or some such as I understand it, and somehow this dude in India was able to persuade it, or slap it upside the head via the phone line and get it to cooperate with the router again. It only took 113 minutes on the phone. By the end of the call my ear hurt, I was starving for lunch, and the phone battery was dying.
But it was successful and Mike can get online again now. It wasn't even 5 minutes before he was asking me for help, just like old times!
I made myself a tuna sandwich then went to my favorite Cake Wrecks blog and found these two entries: Fireman cake, and Naked Mohawk-Baby Carrot Jockeys. Honest to Pete, I laughed so hard I was snorting and had tears running down my face. I don't know if it was because I was so rummy from my marathon tech support session or if these entries are actually that funny.
When he got his computer we purchased a wireless router and I was pretty proud of myself for installing it and setting up a network. However, the rotten little router has been temperamental and inexplicably will lose the connection. I generally unplug it, let it sit a while, plug it all back in and we're good to go again. Not so this last time. I tried everything and we even called in our tech-savvy nephew to look at it, but it just wouldn't work.
Mike has been all worked up because he hasn't been able to use his laptop, so today he proposes that we go buy a new router. I am not willing to give up until I've tried everything, so I go online for troubleshooting, and the install guide, and the upgrade, etc. No luck. I finally decide to call tech support.
I end up talking to a nice East Indian fellow, and we go through a lot of unplugging and ip configs, and resetting with no luck. I am on the phone an hour by now, and he decides he needs to send me to a level 2 tech. The level 2 tech comes on with an even heavier accent, and away we go again...unplug, replug, ip config, ping something or other, connection status blah blah blah, and by the third time we do this I tell him, "Ok I'm done, I'm going to trash this piece of flip [router] and go get a new one. Seriously, I've had it." He convinces me to hang in there through one more attempt and to restart my computer and Viola! finally it works!
He explains to me that the computer wasn't communicating with the router even though the router was communicating with the computer. So the computer was sulking because it didn't like the router for some reason and it was saying "Lalalalalala, I'm not listening." or some such as I understand it, and somehow this dude in India was able to persuade it, or slap it upside the head via the phone line and get it to cooperate with the router again. It only took 113 minutes on the phone. By the end of the call my ear hurt, I was starving for lunch, and the phone battery was dying.
But it was successful and Mike can get online again now. It wasn't even 5 minutes before he was asking me for help, just like old times!
I made myself a tuna sandwich then went to my favorite Cake Wrecks blog and found these two entries: Fireman cake, and Naked Mohawk-Baby Carrot Jockeys. Honest to Pete, I laughed so hard I was snorting and had tears running down my face. I don't know if it was because I was so rummy from my marathon tech support session or if these entries are actually that funny.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Sometimes They Get It!
Husband tells me tonight that he was talking to the nice young couple down the street from us and found out they're looking for a home to buy. He told them we were probably going to do a short sale with ours and they were pretty excited about it.
And guess what? He told them that they could look at the house...
...as soon as he got clearance from me that it was ok to have people come look at the house.
Yes, he finally gets that I don't like nice people traipsing through my house without proper warning. And that it makes a much better impression on people when the house is in a semi-respectable state of cleanliness. Hallelujah!
So as soon as I get a day off, I'll get a shovel or a backhoe or stick of dynamite or something and clean the place up and maybe we can get it sold.
And guess what? He told them that they could look at the house...
...as soon as he got clearance from me that it was ok to have people come look at the house.
Yes, he finally gets that I don't like nice people traipsing through my house without proper warning. And that it makes a much better impression on people when the house is in a semi-respectable state of cleanliness. Hallelujah!
So as soon as I get a day off, I'll get a shovel or a backhoe or stick of dynamite or something and clean the place up and maybe we can get it sold.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
And They're Off!
To School!
Shelby is in 4th grade, Nat is in 1st. Now that Nat's out of kindergarten, she'll be going full days to school. It's going to be weird--for me that is. All my babies are officially in school full days. The end of an era of sorts.
Sis is a senior. She's not dressed up, because she's in Link Crew (hence the t-shirt), which is the group of kids that does the new student orientation (yesterday) and helps students find their classes and such today. She was very excited about going back to school because she's so social and involved with everything.
Sis had someone side-swipe her yesterday. She was heading back home from her orthodontic appointment and was in a left turn lane. Someone behind her got impatient and went around, and dragged their car mirror all the way down the side of her dad's truck. They never stopped or anything. She was pretty upset and called me, and I told her she needed to call the police and file a report. There's a nasty scrape on the passenger's side now, and she feels really bad. It wasn't her fault though. Unfortunately they weren't able to track down the other car.
At any rate, the house is too quiet, and I can't wait to go pick up the girls and see how they liked their first day. I'm happy about the teachers they were assigned to and am anticipating a good year for all of them!
Shelby is in 4th grade, Nat is in 1st. Now that Nat's out of kindergarten, she'll be going full days to school. It's going to be weird--for me that is. All my babies are officially in school full days. The end of an era of sorts.
Sis is a senior. She's not dressed up, because she's in Link Crew (hence the t-shirt), which is the group of kids that does the new student orientation (yesterday) and helps students find their classes and such today. She was very excited about going back to school because she's so social and involved with everything.
Sis had someone side-swipe her yesterday. She was heading back home from her orthodontic appointment and was in a left turn lane. Someone behind her got impatient and went around, and dragged their car mirror all the way down the side of her dad's truck. They never stopped or anything. She was pretty upset and called me, and I told her she needed to call the police and file a report. There's a nasty scrape on the passenger's side now, and she feels really bad. It wasn't her fault though. Unfortunately they weren't able to track down the other car.
At any rate, the house is too quiet, and I can't wait to go pick up the girls and see how they liked their first day. I'm happy about the teachers they were assigned to and am anticipating a good year for all of them!
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
3 Girls + School Shopping = Happy x Tired
School starts on Wednesday, so yesterday was school shopping day!
First stop TJ Maxx--lots of bargains there!
The dollar store makes big hats and ties. I don't know why.
Matching outfits that mom picked out.
Sis was tired and found lots of tops she liked but struck out with pants.
All three were riding in the cart at the end! People were looking at me a bit funny with my cartload of girls! Have you ever tried to steer one of these monster carts through Walmart? I swear, it would be easier to drive a Suburban through the store. At one point I found an empty aisle and started running as fast as I could (not that fast considering my size vs the weight of the cart, but still) and had all three of the girls screaming. Yeah, we're a fun bunch in Walmart!
Sis still needs pants, and Moo still needs a pair of shoes (everywhere we went there was nothing in her size) but for the most part we're ready for the big day tomorrow!
First stop TJ Maxx--lots of bargains there!
The dollar store makes big hats and ties. I don't know why.
Matching outfits that mom picked out.
Sis was tired and found lots of tops she liked but struck out with pants.
All three were riding in the cart at the end! People were looking at me a bit funny with my cartload of girls! Have you ever tried to steer one of these monster carts through Walmart? I swear, it would be easier to drive a Suburban through the store. At one point I found an empty aisle and started running as fast as I could (not that fast considering my size vs the weight of the cart, but still) and had all three of the girls screaming. Yeah, we're a fun bunch in Walmart!
Sis still needs pants, and Moo still needs a pair of shoes (everywhere we went there was nothing in her size) but for the most part we're ready for the big day tomorrow!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)