Chloe's full name is 'Chloe-Bear Punkin' Head M[our last name]'. And many derivatives of that name. Punkin' Head, Clo-ey Bear, etc. And lately, I call her 'Clo-Bear' - and yes, I use a different 'voice' when I'm calling her any and all of these names - 'cuz she's just that cute.
I told J. this evening 'if we get another dog, let's name it Stephen so we can have 'Stephen Clo-Bear' as our pets. (Stephen Colbert is constantly on our TV. Sometimes I think he lives here. Along with a bunch of other talking heads).
That got a laugh - and a quick 'but no, let's not get another dog'.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Yeah
Here's a list of things that brightened my day:
1) People Magazine arrived a day early - a pleasant surprise, especially since I,
2) am off tomorrow!! and can read late into the night.
3) LOST is back tonight. Can't wait and don't have to worry about staying up too late 'cuz I'm off tomorrow! And Survivor is back next week and I'm planning to also take off next Friday, I hope.
4) I ordered Mountain Mike's pizza for delivery 'cuz it's raining (AGAIN) and I don't want to cook tonight 'cuz I'm off tomorrow and it feels more 'off' if I'm not cooking. And also, while I'm on the subject of Mt. Mike's - let me just say - we've ordered Dominoes for years on the theory that 'it's less expensive' and 'they deliver'. Well, for only a few dollars more, we get the most AMAZING pizza - their Snowy Alps makes me swoon. I can't describe how much I love that pizza. So now, when we splurge and order pizza (vs. baking frozen ones), it's Mt. Mike's. Why bother with the 'cheap stuff'? If Costco ever delivers, then I won't be able to rationalize the difference as easily - but they won't, so I don't have to worry about it. It is delectable goodness - and a pepperoni for the kids.
5) I got a HUGE project DONE today - something that has been looming over my head, waking me up at various times during the night to fret (more) about it. It is done...done, done, DONE. And as most projects are that you dread, it was easier than I thought. Turns out my first instinct way back when was right in terms of 'getting it done'. But I asked some questions of others that led me to think I had to use a different report - and every time I looked at that different report, I couldn't figure it out. Once I went back and ran the report I first thought to run, and used it, it was a snap. Data compiled, report drafted, email sent to the vendor that helps us with it and whew! one thing off the list. There are still more looming but I'll get to those. One thing at a time...no more today 'cuz I'm off tomorrow.
6) My desk had actual desk surface visible for the first time in a long time. Yes, there are piles of stuff on one side. And on my credenza behind me. But there is wood showing. That felt great!
Did I mention I'm taking a day off tomorrow? And my big 'event' for the day is going to the dentist. Yeah. Made that appointment before I knew I'd be off...so might as well get it done. And I might take myself to lunch or see if J. and I can go to lunch? We'll have to see.
Oh, and I have to add a footnote to yesterday's post re: dinner. My sweet, loving, wonderful husband said 'uh, honey, can you suggest a way I might inquire what's for dinner that won't make you nuts 'cuz I'm not asking to imply that it's your responsiblity or that I expect you to do it nor imply that I want no part of the dinner process'...and he's right. He cooks more than me, probably. He just doesn't plan what to cook. And I guess that's the thing. Sometimes, I just wish it wasn't me having to think about what to feed everyone. I just want dinner to magically appear. Which it does 'cuz as soon as I clue J. in on what's available, he'll fix it. And his inquiring is just that: an inquiry. To cook what I had in mind or make sure I don't have something in mind or know that there isn't anything around so he'll stop at the grocery. He's a gem...and I'm lucky to have him. So thanks, sweetie, for asking if there was a better way to ask. It's kind of like the movie You've Got Mail - there's only so many ways to say 'around the corner'. There's only so many ways to ask 'what's for dinner'.
1) People Magazine arrived a day early - a pleasant surprise, especially since I,
2) am off tomorrow!! and can read late into the night.
3) LOST is back tonight. Can't wait and don't have to worry about staying up too late 'cuz I'm off tomorrow! And Survivor is back next week and I'm planning to also take off next Friday, I hope.
4) I ordered Mountain Mike's pizza for delivery 'cuz it's raining (AGAIN) and I don't want to cook tonight 'cuz I'm off tomorrow and it feels more 'off' if I'm not cooking. And also, while I'm on the subject of Mt. Mike's - let me just say - we've ordered Dominoes for years on the theory that 'it's less expensive' and 'they deliver'. Well, for only a few dollars more, we get the most AMAZING pizza - their Snowy Alps makes me swoon. I can't describe how much I love that pizza. So now, when we splurge and order pizza (vs. baking frozen ones), it's Mt. Mike's. Why bother with the 'cheap stuff'? If Costco ever delivers, then I won't be able to rationalize the difference as easily - but they won't, so I don't have to worry about it. It is delectable goodness - and a pepperoni for the kids.
5) I got a HUGE project DONE today - something that has been looming over my head, waking me up at various times during the night to fret (more) about it. It is done...done, done, DONE. And as most projects are that you dread, it was easier than I thought. Turns out my first instinct way back when was right in terms of 'getting it done'. But I asked some questions of others that led me to think I had to use a different report - and every time I looked at that different report, I couldn't figure it out. Once I went back and ran the report I first thought to run, and used it, it was a snap. Data compiled, report drafted, email sent to the vendor that helps us with it and whew! one thing off the list. There are still more looming but I'll get to those. One thing at a time...no more today 'cuz I'm off tomorrow.
6) My desk had actual desk surface visible for the first time in a long time. Yes, there are piles of stuff on one side. And on my credenza behind me. But there is wood showing. That felt great!
Did I mention I'm taking a day off tomorrow? And my big 'event' for the day is going to the dentist. Yeah. Made that appointment before I knew I'd be off...so might as well get it done. And I might take myself to lunch or see if J. and I can go to lunch? We'll have to see.
Oh, and I have to add a footnote to yesterday's post re: dinner. My sweet, loving, wonderful husband said 'uh, honey, can you suggest a way I might inquire what's for dinner that won't make you nuts 'cuz I'm not asking to imply that it's your responsiblity or that I expect you to do it nor imply that I want no part of the dinner process'...and he's right. He cooks more than me, probably. He just doesn't plan what to cook. And I guess that's the thing. Sometimes, I just wish it wasn't me having to think about what to feed everyone. I just want dinner to magically appear. Which it does 'cuz as soon as I clue J. in on what's available, he'll fix it. And his inquiring is just that: an inquiry. To cook what I had in mind or make sure I don't have something in mind or know that there isn't anything around so he'll stop at the grocery. He's a gem...and I'm lucky to have him. So thanks, sweetie, for asking if there was a better way to ask. It's kind of like the movie You've Got Mail - there's only so many ways to say 'around the corner'. There's only so many ways to ask 'what's for dinner'.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Hilary
The somewhat feminist in me - you know, the person who thinks that men and women are created equal and therefore, can hold the same jobs and therefore should have both men and women in the job of POTUS wants to be able to whole-heartedly root for and cheer for the lady who is running for our leader this year. Sadly, though, I just can't. And what bothers me more than anything about that - more than realizing that this is history in the making and wouldn't it be great if - what bothers me the MOST is that I can't tell you why. I don't 'hear' anything she says with my heart. She's just not 'warm and fuzzy'. Nor 'endearing' or 'charming'. I don't know what we need in female president - since it is a first even in just getting this far - but she's not it. I don't like her. And I can't vote for someone I don't like.
I'm not crazy about Obama either but I guess he's going to have to grow on me because he is it for me in terms of sticking with my party lines. And I do truly believe that it's time for a Democrat in office. We need help. The country is struggling with huge issues that our present leadership tends to ignore.
Our current president pisses me off on a regular basis. He gets my blood boiling in a way I can't describe and frequently has me referencing thoughts of 'moving to Canada' or New Zealand or somewhere that isn't here. I don't have those strong feelings toward Hilary - and maybe that's it. There are NO STRONG feelings towards her, or about her, or because of her whatsoever. I've got nothing. Nada. Zip. She doesn't create any feelings in me at all - and that's just not someone I can vote for. She isn't a leader, to me. I hear her say what she says but I don't think she's bringing anything to the office that I can get behind.
It's hard to describe. And it surprises me that we're down to two candidates and here I am, not voting for the first woman in history to be running for President. I wish I could. I hope I can end up voting for the only Democrat left that I can support. If I can. And I'm not sure about that, either.
The thing is: I'm looking for hope. And for change. And to convince me those things are out there takes a 'special' person. And there just aren't any special people running. They're just average politicians trying to do what they do...and they aren't inciting passionate feelings on either side of the party lines. It's kind of a really dissappointing time for me, related to our country's 'status'.
We need leadership. I'm not sure we'll have it much better in the next 4-8 years. I do know and am 1000% positive that we couldn't possibly be any worse off than we are now. George W.'s last day in office will be one of my most fondly remembered political moments in my entire life.
I have to send in my absentee ballot soon so I'm glad it's down to just two. Though I'm disappointed because both J. and I were for Edwards....and now he's out. And my feelings about voting for him are no stronger than the others...again, 'cuz none of them are instilling in me feelings of hope and leadership. And that's what I need. It's what a lot of us need.
I'm not crazy about Obama either but I guess he's going to have to grow on me because he is it for me in terms of sticking with my party lines. And I do truly believe that it's time for a Democrat in office. We need help. The country is struggling with huge issues that our present leadership tends to ignore.
Our current president pisses me off on a regular basis. He gets my blood boiling in a way I can't describe and frequently has me referencing thoughts of 'moving to Canada' or New Zealand or somewhere that isn't here. I don't have those strong feelings toward Hilary - and maybe that's it. There are NO STRONG feelings towards her, or about her, or because of her whatsoever. I've got nothing. Nada. Zip. She doesn't create any feelings in me at all - and that's just not someone I can vote for. She isn't a leader, to me. I hear her say what she says but I don't think she's bringing anything to the office that I can get behind.
It's hard to describe. And it surprises me that we're down to two candidates and here I am, not voting for the first woman in history to be running for President. I wish I could. I hope I can end up voting for the only Democrat left that I can support. If I can. And I'm not sure about that, either.
The thing is: I'm looking for hope. And for change. And to convince me those things are out there takes a 'special' person. And there just aren't any special people running. They're just average politicians trying to do what they do...and they aren't inciting passionate feelings on either side of the party lines. It's kind of a really dissappointing time for me, related to our country's 'status'.
We need leadership. I'm not sure we'll have it much better in the next 4-8 years. I do know and am 1000% positive that we couldn't possibly be any worse off than we are now. George W.'s last day in office will be one of my most fondly remembered political moments in my entire life.
I have to send in my absentee ballot soon so I'm glad it's down to just two. Though I'm disappointed because both J. and I were for Edwards....and now he's out. And my feelings about voting for him are no stronger than the others...again, 'cuz none of them are instilling in me feelings of hope and leadership. And that's what I need. It's what a lot of us need.
Dinner
J. called to advise he was on his way home while I was (still in my office at 6PM) attempting to craft an email that I had drafted and redrafted multiple times. I spend a lot of time doing that - writing emails to people to reply to various questions. I work hard at ensuring my responses are toned correctly, succinct, saying what needs to be said. I respond in the middle of my former boss' style - who was (and still is) the most eloquent e-mailer EVER - and my current boss, who responds mostly with a cheery yes, or no or a 'let's chat' to most emails. Both methods work fine. I'm sort of between them...not as eloquent as my former boss nor as succinct as my current. I get the job done. And I often wish I could say what I really wish I could say....but I don't 'cuz relationships take work and you can destroy a whole lot of work in a very short time with ill-chosen words.
J.'s question was 'have you given any thought to dinner?' and since I was 'crafting' at the time, I was a bit short with him - I mean, that question is asked by at least one, often two and sometimes three people EVERY FRICKIN' DAY OF MY LIFE since I've been married and on the list of questions I am most frequently asked, it ranks in the top third of my button pushers. So I respond with a 'I have not given it a thought'. And he reminds me that we have a fridge overflowing with left-overy goodness. So we had a leftover Smorgasbord. Sort of like our 'freezer smorgasbords' where we take all the partial bags of stuff - french fries, mini tacos, fish sticks, etc. that are not enough for a full meal but combined make a nice 'snacky' dinner - only even easier to fix since things just have to be reheated. Leftover creamy pasta I made for myself over the weekend (a recipe I tried from a blog - 'cuz I don't read enough blogs already so now I'm hooked on several recipe blogs which make me incredibly hungry but do get me to try making new things); leftover chicken and rice; a salad (not leftover) and leftover Pad Thai from Costco which we've both agreed was OK but not great. H. would not partake of any of these options - so he had Frosted Flakes. And is now baking chocolate chip cookies to complete the ensemble.
It was filling and quick and now there's a whole lot more room in our fridge. Which will take me about 5 more days of answering the 'what's for dinner' question to restock.
I have grand plans to create menus and start attempting to teach the kids to cook a bit. I would do it except they have no attention to detail and I'm afraid they'll burn the house down. Whatever they do, they won't do it again - I know making mistakes is a big part of learning. But risking personal property loss or personal injury is a very real possibility related to teaching boys to handle themselves in the kitchen and so far, the small attempts we've made are enough to send me running for cover and deciding they'll just eat cereal most of their lives. Or frozen waffles, etc.
That's it - a typically 'boring' day - just an average day in my average, but full life.
Happy Birthday to my BFF J. Miss you and see you soon for dinner!
J.'s question was 'have you given any thought to dinner?' and since I was 'crafting' at the time, I was a bit short with him - I mean, that question is asked by at least one, often two and sometimes three people EVERY FRICKIN' DAY OF MY LIFE since I've been married and on the list of questions I am most frequently asked, it ranks in the top third of my button pushers. So I respond with a 'I have not given it a thought'. And he reminds me that we have a fridge overflowing with left-overy goodness. So we had a leftover Smorgasbord. Sort of like our 'freezer smorgasbords' where we take all the partial bags of stuff - french fries, mini tacos, fish sticks, etc. that are not enough for a full meal but combined make a nice 'snacky' dinner - only even easier to fix since things just have to be reheated. Leftover creamy pasta I made for myself over the weekend (a recipe I tried from a blog - 'cuz I don't read enough blogs already so now I'm hooked on several recipe blogs which make me incredibly hungry but do get me to try making new things); leftover chicken and rice; a salad (not leftover) and leftover Pad Thai from Costco which we've both agreed was OK but not great. H. would not partake of any of these options - so he had Frosted Flakes. And is now baking chocolate chip cookies to complete the ensemble.
It was filling and quick and now there's a whole lot more room in our fridge. Which will take me about 5 more days of answering the 'what's for dinner' question to restock.
I have grand plans to create menus and start attempting to teach the kids to cook a bit. I would do it except they have no attention to detail and I'm afraid they'll burn the house down. Whatever they do, they won't do it again - I know making mistakes is a big part of learning. But risking personal property loss or personal injury is a very real possibility related to teaching boys to handle themselves in the kitchen and so far, the small attempts we've made are enough to send me running for cover and deciding they'll just eat cereal most of their lives. Or frozen waffles, etc.
That's it - a typically 'boring' day - just an average day in my average, but full life.
Happy Birthday to my BFF J. Miss you and see you soon for dinner!
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Dry
Chloe headed out this morning with a bit of trepidation - as if the lack of moisture all around - rain drops, wet cement, torrential downpour sometimes shifting to sprinkles - was too much for her to deal with at 5AM. She approached the pool spa and peered in - which she often does and I can never figure out why. It's a big hole with water in it and there's a far bigger hole with water in it just to the right. She never ventures near the pool, never pays any attention to it at all unless the pool sweep propeller hose happens to spray and she jumps into the air like a bat out of you-know-where. I don't know why she lately seems 'afraid' of the spa - she's never fallen in. But she sneaks around it, eyeing it suspiciously as she tries to find the perfect place on the lawn to do her thing. Funny. In the rain, she doesn't take any extra time - just heads out, to the closest spot and gets it done. But with no rain, she's back to taking the long way to the grass and peering into the spa searching for ....whatever dogs search for.
I've been getting up early and just enjoying the leisurely mornings. It's quiet, and I piddle around the study. Spend a bit of time on email, reading a few blogs, getting my farm under control on Farm 51 (http://www.bigfishgames.com/). I like having that bit of time to ease into the day. I'm tempted to sleep in but the peace of the mornings is something I'm learning to love and if it means getting up at the crack of dawn, it's OK.
I don't know if I mentioned that my computer keyboard is now repaired. J. phoned Dell and we were within a month of having the warranty expire - but we made the call in the nick of time and the keyboard arrived two days later. J. replaced it himself! And the funny thing is: I'm still using only the right shift key. Never the left. Months of not having the key has rewired my brain to now pretend as if it never existed. I'll have to see if I'm doing that at work, also. Probably am. Isn't the mind amazing - how quickly it adapted to that change and now how emphatically it refuses to be reprogrammed...I think it's just incredible. Silly, I know. But I marvel at stuff like that.
I'm working hard on seeking joy in small things. It annoys the heck out of some people - I was traveling with a coworker to a school site and we had to stop for a train switching tracks. And I just watched and enjoyed it - how they move the cars forward and detach and then roll two cars back. And the cars 'stop' when it hits the cars they need it to reattach to and automatically hooks. I thought it was fun to watch - how often are you close enough to a train and tracks to see how it works? My coworker was laughing and seemed 'in awe' of my ability to enjoy the simplest thing. She was 'fretting' that we were wasting time, sitting around, verging on being late for a meeting. But we weren't late - and even if we were, who cares. The meeting wouldn't start without us and heck, there was a TRAIN at the crossing and you can't go around a TRAIN. I loved it. It was a nice 'break' in a busy day. And you've got to seize those moments when you can and as often as you can.
As part of my new year's resolutions, I'm also attempting to stick to my contract and not work as many days. At my current 'run rate', with no extra work days (like weekends, etc. which you know from reading this blog is highly unlikely - we are heading into another budget, more reports, etc.) I will carryover 14 days into next year - and that cannot happen. I won't use them and I'll create more. So I'm taking off the next few Fridays. Turning any 3 day weekend I can into a 4 day weekend. And plan to keep doing that as often as possible. As I told my boss - 'it really means I'll be taking work home and working over the weekend off and on but it will feel like a day off and that's what's important - the illusion of working less.
Gotta run. Starbucks for my daily dose of iced tea and then a jam packed day. Thankfully, J. is working at home today so I won't have to wedge in a mid-day stop to give Chloe a break nor rush home.
I've been getting up early and just enjoying the leisurely mornings. It's quiet, and I piddle around the study. Spend a bit of time on email, reading a few blogs, getting my farm under control on Farm 51 (http://www.bigfishgames.com/). I like having that bit of time to ease into the day. I'm tempted to sleep in but the peace of the mornings is something I'm learning to love and if it means getting up at the crack of dawn, it's OK.
I don't know if I mentioned that my computer keyboard is now repaired. J. phoned Dell and we were within a month of having the warranty expire - but we made the call in the nick of time and the keyboard arrived two days later. J. replaced it himself! And the funny thing is: I'm still using only the right shift key. Never the left. Months of not having the key has rewired my brain to now pretend as if it never existed. I'll have to see if I'm doing that at work, also. Probably am. Isn't the mind amazing - how quickly it adapted to that change and now how emphatically it refuses to be reprogrammed...I think it's just incredible. Silly, I know. But I marvel at stuff like that.
I'm working hard on seeking joy in small things. It annoys the heck out of some people - I was traveling with a coworker to a school site and we had to stop for a train switching tracks. And I just watched and enjoyed it - how they move the cars forward and detach and then roll two cars back. And the cars 'stop' when it hits the cars they need it to reattach to and automatically hooks. I thought it was fun to watch - how often are you close enough to a train and tracks to see how it works? My coworker was laughing and seemed 'in awe' of my ability to enjoy the simplest thing. She was 'fretting' that we were wasting time, sitting around, verging on being late for a meeting. But we weren't late - and even if we were, who cares. The meeting wouldn't start without us and heck, there was a TRAIN at the crossing and you can't go around a TRAIN. I loved it. It was a nice 'break' in a busy day. And you've got to seize those moments when you can and as often as you can.
As part of my new year's resolutions, I'm also attempting to stick to my contract and not work as many days. At my current 'run rate', with no extra work days (like weekends, etc. which you know from reading this blog is highly unlikely - we are heading into another budget, more reports, etc.) I will carryover 14 days into next year - and that cannot happen. I won't use them and I'll create more. So I'm taking off the next few Fridays. Turning any 3 day weekend I can into a 4 day weekend. And plan to keep doing that as often as possible. As I told my boss - 'it really means I'll be taking work home and working over the weekend off and on but it will feel like a day off and that's what's important - the illusion of working less.
Gotta run. Starbucks for my daily dose of iced tea and then a jam packed day. Thankfully, J. is working at home today so I won't have to wedge in a mid-day stop to give Chloe a break nor rush home.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Rain
There's been huge amounts of rain here this past week. The pool was 'to the top', completely. I slept very little last night in the storm - J. was in LA with the boys and I fretted that the pool would be overflowing any minute. Combined with some loud 'drip' - water hitting metal periodically throughout the night outside the window which totally kept me 'on edge', I slept very poorly last night. And I worked this afternoon in my office so I didn't nap - it is just after 6:30pm and I'm ready for bed. I'm tired. I'll be heading upstairs shortly because I'm planning to head in early - at my desk as close to 5 as possible, which I also did a couple days last week - I have so much to do and so little 'in office' time to do it. Meetings, classes, more meetings. Crazy.
The college visit was a great success, from the sounds of it. The trip down was through storms both directions. The Grapevine reopened on Friday morning just before they left and J. said it was pretty scary - high winds, pouring rain, slick roads. But they made it fine and then repeated the exercise on the way home. I was glad they were able to make it via that route since the alternate would take them down Hwy. 101 - a much longer trip and even less fun to drive in a torrential rain storm. We almost cancelled - but we'd taken the kids out of school on Friday for the trip and I wasn't going to do that again. And of course, both boys, believing they had no school on Friday did not prepare AT ALL for any of the things due or the tests the had that day - so upon announcing that J. was thinking of not going, they pretty much freaked. And then I freaked because I wasn't going to let them play 'hooky' again in a month to go down then for the open house.
The college is a great school - 30 years in existence. Geared exclusively to musicians who want a career in the music industry. It's in the heart of Hollywood and is a 'first stop' for all music genres (recording, shows, bands, artists looking to add to their group - Annie Lennox is visiting there this week) when they are looking for musicians. B. is very excited - and so are we. We think the plan is: 2 years at a community college (probably Delta because it has a much better music program than LPC) and then down to Hollywood for 2 years there. The program is very expensive - let's just say that the 2 years down there will cost what we would have spent on a 4 year traditional college experience - if not more. But it really makes sense to us since it puts him in the industry he wants a career in. Versus attending a traditional school for 4 years and maybe graduating with a music degree and then having no 'practical experience' that would lead to a working job in music. So it looks like that's where he's headed. We are encouraging him to continue improving his high school grades and get to where his grades are solid and he can then think about getting a part time job somewhere to start saving money for his adventure in Hollywood. We'll have to find him an apartment and everything since the school doesn't have student housing. So this is a very expensive proposition. But that's OK. We have 3 more years to prepare and save for it and now that we know what the 'goal' is, we know what we need. We will most likely have to borrow some in student loans - and we're OK with that, too. We will help him as much as we can - but he will have to be prepared to pay for some of the expenses himself.
I'd like to think that he'll be able to make it on his own. There is some evidence that he has a ways to go, like: he drove to Staples today to get a binder for school and called J. to say he only took $4 with him and didn't have enough $$ - nor did he have the Visa Buxx card which I periodically load with $$ for just these kind of events - so he had to meet me at the bank (which I was on my way too anyway to get our weekly cash). Hard to imagine that in 3 years, this same person will be 'on their own' in Hollywood. Boggles my mind and scares the crap out of me.
Three years will go by in the blink of an eye. And around the time B. leaves for Hollywood, H. will be heading to college also - also (most likely) 2 years at a community college first and then a four year school to get his Bachelor's. H. wants to be a teacher - most days. Some days he wants to be 'a high level business person'. We'll see.
I tell them (and myself) 'it will be better than you ever imagined'. Because believing that will make it so...through hard times, trying times, scary times and long times. I know it from personal experience. It will be better than they ever imagined - and better than I could have wanted for them.
The college visit was a great success, from the sounds of it. The trip down was through storms both directions. The Grapevine reopened on Friday morning just before they left and J. said it was pretty scary - high winds, pouring rain, slick roads. But they made it fine and then repeated the exercise on the way home. I was glad they were able to make it via that route since the alternate would take them down Hwy. 101 - a much longer trip and even less fun to drive in a torrential rain storm. We almost cancelled - but we'd taken the kids out of school on Friday for the trip and I wasn't going to do that again. And of course, both boys, believing they had no school on Friday did not prepare AT ALL for any of the things due or the tests the had that day - so upon announcing that J. was thinking of not going, they pretty much freaked. And then I freaked because I wasn't going to let them play 'hooky' again in a month to go down then for the open house.
The college is a great school - 30 years in existence. Geared exclusively to musicians who want a career in the music industry. It's in the heart of Hollywood and is a 'first stop' for all music genres (recording, shows, bands, artists looking to add to their group - Annie Lennox is visiting there this week) when they are looking for musicians. B. is very excited - and so are we. We think the plan is: 2 years at a community college (probably Delta because it has a much better music program than LPC) and then down to Hollywood for 2 years there. The program is very expensive - let's just say that the 2 years down there will cost what we would have spent on a 4 year traditional college experience - if not more. But it really makes sense to us since it puts him in the industry he wants a career in. Versus attending a traditional school for 4 years and maybe graduating with a music degree and then having no 'practical experience' that would lead to a working job in music. So it looks like that's where he's headed. We are encouraging him to continue improving his high school grades and get to where his grades are solid and he can then think about getting a part time job somewhere to start saving money for his adventure in Hollywood. We'll have to find him an apartment and everything since the school doesn't have student housing. So this is a very expensive proposition. But that's OK. We have 3 more years to prepare and save for it and now that we know what the 'goal' is, we know what we need. We will most likely have to borrow some in student loans - and we're OK with that, too. We will help him as much as we can - but he will have to be prepared to pay for some of the expenses himself.
I'd like to think that he'll be able to make it on his own. There is some evidence that he has a ways to go, like: he drove to Staples today to get a binder for school and called J. to say he only took $4 with him and didn't have enough $$ - nor did he have the Visa Buxx card which I periodically load with $$ for just these kind of events - so he had to meet me at the bank (which I was on my way too anyway to get our weekly cash). Hard to imagine that in 3 years, this same person will be 'on their own' in Hollywood. Boggles my mind and scares the crap out of me.
Three years will go by in the blink of an eye. And around the time B. leaves for Hollywood, H. will be heading to college also - also (most likely) 2 years at a community college first and then a four year school to get his Bachelor's. H. wants to be a teacher - most days. Some days he wants to be 'a high level business person'. We'll see.
I tell them (and myself) 'it will be better than you ever imagined'. Because believing that will make it so...through hard times, trying times, scary times and long times. I know it from personal experience. It will be better than they ever imagined - and better than I could have wanted for them.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Happy B Day
In honor of my son's 17th birthday, I got a speeding ticket. On the main street near our house.
You know that feeling you get when you see a cop and he pulls out behind you and your heart sinks and your gut lurches? I had none of that. He pulled out behind me and I didn't think twice about it - I was behind a semi at the time (that had just pulled out from the cardboard box factory near our house) and wasn't going that fast. I thought. So when he pulled out behind me and waited for me to react, I didn't, I guess. So he pulled me over. Said I was doing 55 in a 40. Not sure that I was but can't say that I wasn't. I was (admittedly) distracted and anxious to return to the office after a meeting at our county office of ed went way longer than anticipated. I also didn't have proof of insurance for the current year - I had the notice that expired in August, 2007, but hadn't put the 'renewal' notice for current year in the car. He didn't cite me for that but did cite me for speeding. I didn't argue because I honestly have no idea how fast I was or wasn't going.
I know there's a 'code' I can use to prove it's a speed trap - that requires requesting the last traffic flow survey and showing up in court. It's do-able. But I'm not going to take the time for it. Not worried about it. (If any of my readers know where to find the info and how/what to do, let me know. I had a co-worker a long time ago who never paid a speeding ticket, ever, on a city street. I'm not in touch with them anymore so don't recall the specifics of what they did. If it's out there and someone knows about it, let me know).
The ticket was worth it 'cuz I texted B. to advise him to be careful on that street on his way home from school. When I talked to him after school, he said 'how fast were you going?'. And when I told him he said 'wow, I didn't think they'd cite you for 15 miles over the limit'. Yes, son, they will. So now he knows and will slow down accordingly, hopefully. A ticket for me - the first in over 15 years - isn't that big of a deal. Traffic school will keep the point off my record. Wastes a day - but it's online now anyway. So that's fine. But a ticket for him would be VERY bad. So he's warned. By firsthand experience.
J. called me at precisely 8:40AM this morning to say 'hey, happy 17th anniversary to the minute of when you birthed our first born'. I, sadly, was not in my office so he left a voicemail - still sweet. I don't actually remember the time - guess we should pull out his birth certificate to figure it out.. I know it was not too long after 8:30AM and it had been a very, VERY long night.
Happy Birthday, B. You are a fine young man and I'm blessed to have you in my life. And this time next year, when all of the custodial accounts in our names revert to you, solely, alone, remember this: that money is for college. Period. Not a new car. Not backpacking around Europe for months. All those things sound fun and lovely and if you want them, you'll work hard AT A JOB to get them - but the money is for school. Let's not forget that.
I will, however, let YOU buy the Texas Roadhouse dinner next year.
Off to eat way too much, followed by cake at home.
Hugs to you, B.
You know that feeling you get when you see a cop and he pulls out behind you and your heart sinks and your gut lurches? I had none of that. He pulled out behind me and I didn't think twice about it - I was behind a semi at the time (that had just pulled out from the cardboard box factory near our house) and wasn't going that fast. I thought. So when he pulled out behind me and waited for me to react, I didn't, I guess. So he pulled me over. Said I was doing 55 in a 40. Not sure that I was but can't say that I wasn't. I was (admittedly) distracted and anxious to return to the office after a meeting at our county office of ed went way longer than anticipated. I also didn't have proof of insurance for the current year - I had the notice that expired in August, 2007, but hadn't put the 'renewal' notice for current year in the car. He didn't cite me for that but did cite me for speeding. I didn't argue because I honestly have no idea how fast I was or wasn't going.
I know there's a 'code' I can use to prove it's a speed trap - that requires requesting the last traffic flow survey and showing up in court. It's do-able. But I'm not going to take the time for it. Not worried about it. (If any of my readers know where to find the info and how/what to do, let me know. I had a co-worker a long time ago who never paid a speeding ticket, ever, on a city street. I'm not in touch with them anymore so don't recall the specifics of what they did. If it's out there and someone knows about it, let me know).
The ticket was worth it 'cuz I texted B. to advise him to be careful on that street on his way home from school. When I talked to him after school, he said 'how fast were you going?'. And when I told him he said 'wow, I didn't think they'd cite you for 15 miles over the limit'. Yes, son, they will. So now he knows and will slow down accordingly, hopefully. A ticket for me - the first in over 15 years - isn't that big of a deal. Traffic school will keep the point off my record. Wastes a day - but it's online now anyway. So that's fine. But a ticket for him would be VERY bad. So he's warned. By firsthand experience.
J. called me at precisely 8:40AM this morning to say 'hey, happy 17th anniversary to the minute of when you birthed our first born'. I, sadly, was not in my office so he left a voicemail - still sweet. I don't actually remember the time - guess we should pull out his birth certificate to figure it out.. I know it was not too long after 8:30AM and it had been a very, VERY long night.
Happy Birthday, B. You are a fine young man and I'm blessed to have you in my life. And this time next year, when all of the custodial accounts in our names revert to you, solely, alone, remember this: that money is for college. Period. Not a new car. Not backpacking around Europe for months. All those things sound fun and lovely and if you want them, you'll work hard AT A JOB to get them - but the money is for school. Let's not forget that.
I will, however, let YOU buy the Texas Roadhouse dinner next year.
Off to eat way too much, followed by cake at home.
Hugs to you, B.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Fed
Awoke to the news that the Fed lowered the interest rate by .75% in an emergency move overnight. That scares the crap out of me - just the fact that the Fed guys were on the phone all night long trying to figure out what to do is enough to make me want to move to Canada.
Normally, we take the 'ride it out' approach to investing. And that's a good approach, most of the time. But my husband is entering into the 'retirement red zone'. He is less than 10 years away (Lord, hear our prayers) from the big "R" and in my wee mind, I think that means we should be more 'cautious'. We don't have decades to rebound from this mess. We have less than a decade.
I resist the urge to check our investments hourly. What's the point? The market is tanking. The economy is in a free fall. And as J. pointed out over the weekend, we have one more year of the George W. era to 'ride out'. So we wait. And hope.
And stash cash wherever we can.
On a good note, the lowering of the interest rate means our equity line just dropped. And since I'm paying as much as I can on that puppy each month, it will get paid down faster, now. Which is a good thing.
Buy low, sell high. So all our 'new' savings is buying low which will hopefully help when the market turns. Which it will. It historically has and will continue to do so.
And I admit - my fear of this entire debacle isn't that we'll lose everything we have. We won't. It's just the fear that we'll end up with J. retired and me still working - and feeling like I have to work FOREVER 'just in case'. Which isn't 'the plan'. The plan is for us to BOTH retire within a few years of each other. And if our retirement nest egg keeps dropping like a rock, the likelihood of that happening decreases exponentially. I'll HAVE TO work. And I hate that thought.
Normally, we take the 'ride it out' approach to investing. And that's a good approach, most of the time. But my husband is entering into the 'retirement red zone'. He is less than 10 years away (Lord, hear our prayers) from the big "R" and in my wee mind, I think that means we should be more 'cautious'. We don't have decades to rebound from this mess. We have less than a decade.
I resist the urge to check our investments hourly. What's the point? The market is tanking. The economy is in a free fall. And as J. pointed out over the weekend, we have one more year of the George W. era to 'ride out'. So we wait. And hope.
And stash cash wherever we can.
On a good note, the lowering of the interest rate means our equity line just dropped. And since I'm paying as much as I can on that puppy each month, it will get paid down faster, now. Which is a good thing.
Buy low, sell high. So all our 'new' savings is buying low which will hopefully help when the market turns. Which it will. It historically has and will continue to do so.
And I admit - my fear of this entire debacle isn't that we'll lose everything we have. We won't. It's just the fear that we'll end up with J. retired and me still working - and feeling like I have to work FOREVER 'just in case'. Which isn't 'the plan'. The plan is for us to BOTH retire within a few years of each other. And if our retirement nest egg keeps dropping like a rock, the likelihood of that happening decreases exponentially. I'll HAVE TO work. And I hate that thought.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Wrapping Up
The end of a great 5 day weekend is upon me. I persuaded J. to take today off. Darn PTO policy - this is not a holiday per his job. He planned to work...and I persuaded him to not go in. He's been sick (he took Friday as a sick day) and he still sounds terrible. So he agreed and stayed home. And we didn't do a thing today - well, he did a zillion loads of laundry and I took a nap. And we went to the grocery store together, which is always a treat. Why is it so much more fun to shop when you have company?
B.'s birthday is day after tomorrow. I have two cakes planned 'cuz I want to try something new and he may not like my first choice - a blackberry cake with cream cheese frosting. I got a chocolate cake mix as a backup 'cuz you can't go wrong with chocolate. He already has his present - a new guitar that we bought on sale in December. He'll get some $$, probably, which is what he most prefers. Then he can spend it on what he wants.
B., J. and H. are heading down to Hollywood this weekend for a college open house. I'm not going to write much about it except to say that it seems to be a very good school. And since the website doesn't mention how much it is, I can only assume we can't afford it....but we'll see. It's a school designed for people who want to have a career in the music industry. It's well known and has been around for decades. It makes sense to me - spend the money for an education that gets him training and exposure in the industry he wants to work in. Versus sending him to a 4 year traditional college where he'll end up with a Bachelor's degree that won't relate to what he wants to do for a living. So we will see. They will have a guys road trip and return with tons of information. And then we'll see where we end up. Still lobbying for B. to spend a year or two at a community college (I happen to know a great one!) to get some general ed out of the way - get a 2 year degree. Then, he can go to the music school and finish there. If he ends up making a living, great. If he needs something to fall back on, he can get his teaching credential with a couple more years of school.
Tomorrow, it's back to work. Busy as usual. Thankfully, we have two Mondays off in February and I'm hoping to turn those into 4 day weekends with a Friday off. And we leave for Hawaii in only 9 weeks. I'm excited and yet sort of dreading it. The 'getting ready' for vacation - both at home and at work is mind-boggling. I hope I'm up for it.
Have a wonderful week!
B.'s birthday is day after tomorrow. I have two cakes planned 'cuz I want to try something new and he may not like my first choice - a blackberry cake with cream cheese frosting. I got a chocolate cake mix as a backup 'cuz you can't go wrong with chocolate. He already has his present - a new guitar that we bought on sale in December. He'll get some $$, probably, which is what he most prefers. Then he can spend it on what he wants.
B., J. and H. are heading down to Hollywood this weekend for a college open house. I'm not going to write much about it except to say that it seems to be a very good school. And since the website doesn't mention how much it is, I can only assume we can't afford it....but we'll see. It's a school designed for people who want to have a career in the music industry. It's well known and has been around for decades. It makes sense to me - spend the money for an education that gets him training and exposure in the industry he wants to work in. Versus sending him to a 4 year traditional college where he'll end up with a Bachelor's degree that won't relate to what he wants to do for a living. So we will see. They will have a guys road trip and return with tons of information. And then we'll see where we end up. Still lobbying for B. to spend a year or two at a community college (I happen to know a great one!) to get some general ed out of the way - get a 2 year degree. Then, he can go to the music school and finish there. If he ends up making a living, great. If he needs something to fall back on, he can get his teaching credential with a couple more years of school.
Tomorrow, it's back to work. Busy as usual. Thankfully, we have two Mondays off in February and I'm hoping to turn those into 4 day weekends with a Friday off. And we leave for Hawaii in only 9 weeks. I'm excited and yet sort of dreading it. The 'getting ready' for vacation - both at home and at work is mind-boggling. I hope I'm up for it.
Have a wonderful week!
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Off
The class was cancelled. The person I contacted said 'I'm pretty sure we emailed and phoned'. I said 'well, I have no email and no voicemail message. So thank goodness I checked the website for directions or I would have driven to Sacto for nothing'. That would have been bad.
So, it's an unexpected day off. Which to Chloe means 'you're HERE; therefore, WE MUST PLAY'. And I'm like 'NO, I HAVE THINGS TO DO'. And she's like 'BUT YOU'RE HERE; WE MUST PLAY'. She brings in a variety of toys trying to entice me with their dog-toy goodness and sits at my feet with her beautiful brown eyes shining up at me, pleading. And the thing is: I am playing with her. As I can. But there is no rest with her. She is an all or nothing proposition. I am the 'player'. And she is the 'playee'. And she will not move on. Sometimes, she'll go curl up in her kennel in a sad, dejected sort of 'fine, then, see what you've done to me'. Bugger. Cute bugger, but she's making me crazy.
J. slept in a bit this morning 'cuz he's not feeling well. Yet, he ended up getting up an hour later and said 'I'm feeling better so I'm going in'. It might have been because I commented 'hmmm, well, I guess my unexpected day off ALONE isn't happening if you're working from home'. And he had a meeting he needed to keep anyway and said he felt better, so he headed in to SF. I'm bad, I know. But I just love being 'home alone' and it doesn't happen much these days.
I bought a Casting Crowns album on iTunes and just LOVE it. Every song is great! Don't you just love that - an album with no songs to 'skip' - it's terrific. I wanted to purchase all 3 albums but decided I'd try to do one a month over the next few months.
Enjoy the day and the weekend! I'll be piddling around the house! and trying to keep Chloe FROM piddling around the house.
So, it's an unexpected day off. Which to Chloe means 'you're HERE; therefore, WE MUST PLAY'. And I'm like 'NO, I HAVE THINGS TO DO'. And she's like 'BUT YOU'RE HERE; WE MUST PLAY'. She brings in a variety of toys trying to entice me with their dog-toy goodness and sits at my feet with her beautiful brown eyes shining up at me, pleading. And the thing is: I am playing with her. As I can. But there is no rest with her. She is an all or nothing proposition. I am the 'player'. And she is the 'playee'. And she will not move on. Sometimes, she'll go curl up in her kennel in a sad, dejected sort of 'fine, then, see what you've done to me'. Bugger. Cute bugger, but she's making me crazy.
J. slept in a bit this morning 'cuz he's not feeling well. Yet, he ended up getting up an hour later and said 'I'm feeling better so I'm going in'. It might have been because I commented 'hmmm, well, I guess my unexpected day off ALONE isn't happening if you're working from home'. And he had a meeting he needed to keep anyway and said he felt better, so he headed in to SF. I'm bad, I know. But I just love being 'home alone' and it doesn't happen much these days.
I bought a Casting Crowns album on iTunes and just LOVE it. Every song is great! Don't you just love that - an album with no songs to 'skip' - it's terrific. I wanted to purchase all 3 albums but decided I'd try to do one a month over the next few months.
Enjoy the day and the weekend! I'll be piddling around the house! and trying to keep Chloe FROM piddling around the house.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Shacking Up
I am pleased as punch to report that my sister is officially 'shacking up' with her boyfriend. I am just so happy for them both - and today, they became the proud owners of a motor home - a 26 footer! So they're living together in TWO homes - one on wheels and one in Phoenix. They are so happy and so in love and so right for each other. Honestly, he's just the sweetest person. I just love him to death and can't wait for J. and the kids to meet him. I told them they need to drive up here ASAP and we will do like all our neighbors do: run an extension cord across the front lawn to the outlet by the front door and they can have their space outside and join us here (and/or sleep here, too, if they want) for as long as they want.
When I think of them, I think how lucky they are - and how brave they are - to both be giving love a second chance at this 'stage' of their lives. They've both gone through such a painful journey of loss - of realizing that the marriages each had thought was forever, wasn't. And then, you factor in the odds of them ending up where they were [daring to want love and companionship again] at the same time and how they found each other [Yahoo Personals, you rock!] - is just so incredible to me. And having found each other, to say 'yes' again - yes to daring to let another person into your life. Yes to adjusting to each other and learning about each other. To reorganizing each other's lives to fit the other in. I'm just so proud of them both - and so grateful that my wonderful, sweet sister has someone in her life who makes her smile and laugh.
They are both so dear to me, I can't really put it into words. And I've seen the relationship grow from the very beginning. And like I did when I first saw my J., the minute I opened the door at K.'s house and welcomed this man to her 'divorce party', I knew. I just knew. I said at the time to him 'you're doomed'. And I was right. Love was there from the very beginning - and while they attempted to 'take it slow', it was anything but. It's been 6 months from that party to their moving in together. 'Slow' is not in their vocabulary.
And it's just the right speed for them.
When I think of them, I think how lucky they are - and how brave they are - to both be giving love a second chance at this 'stage' of their lives. They've both gone through such a painful journey of loss - of realizing that the marriages each had thought was forever, wasn't. And then, you factor in the odds of them ending up where they were [daring to want love and companionship again] at the same time and how they found each other [Yahoo Personals, you rock!] - is just so incredible to me. And having found each other, to say 'yes' again - yes to daring to let another person into your life. Yes to adjusting to each other and learning about each other. To reorganizing each other's lives to fit the other in. I'm just so proud of them both - and so grateful that my wonderful, sweet sister has someone in her life who makes her smile and laugh.
They are both so dear to me, I can't really put it into words. And I've seen the relationship grow from the very beginning. And like I did when I first saw my J., the minute I opened the door at K.'s house and welcomed this man to her 'divorce party', I knew. I just knew. I said at the time to him 'you're doomed'. And I was right. Love was there from the very beginning - and while they attempted to 'take it slow', it was anything but. It's been 6 months from that party to their moving in together. 'Slow' is not in their vocabulary.
And it's just the right speed for them.
Weather
I drove to Sacramento yesterday in thick fog. Scary, scary. Had so many moments when I had absolutely no idea where I was. No points of reference on any street, including our neighborhood, to tell me where I was in relation to our house, landmarks, etc. Merged onto the freeway just following red tail lights that were (hopefully) headed where I wanted to go. It was eerie and creeped me out. The windows were covered in ice, which of course took awhile to thaw - and I hadn't budgeted any time for 'sitting in driveway waiting for windows to defrost' in my itinerary. So I felt rushed, though driving at a snails pace. It was awful.
And the worst part was: I knew I'd be doing it again today - only this time, to Woodland, which is 20 miles past Sacto. And I was dreading it all day yesterday. The predictions said 'fog all week' and I braced myself for not one, not two, but THREE days of driving north for meetings, classes, etc. 'Cuz I have to be there tomorrow, as well. Sacto, again. I'm getting very familiar with the down town area...and stumbled across our State Capital building on a recent trip there and have to say - it is really beautiful. Truly. I didn't expect to be so 'emotional' about seeing it - but it is a beautiful building. In a beautiful area. Made me kind of understand why J. wants to visit D.C. He was born there and he wants us to see it - see all the history. I've not been particularly interested in going there - but I sort of 'get' the history and the significance of the buildings and the monuments. So maybe we'll try to do that soon.
This morning, I DID allow plenty of time - and heated up water in the electric hot pot. Let it cool a bit while I made a travel cup of coffee (haven't done that in a LONG time) and then took the hot water out to my car to pour on the windows. Only there was no frost. No moisture in the air AT ALL. Crystal clear, dry and freezing cold. With wind. But I can drive fine in windy conditions. I was so relieved. Made it to Woodland in plenty of time and it was a pretty drive. Anything would have been prettier than yesterday's gloom.
Tomorrow, who knows? For one thing, it appears the workshop I was planning to attend may have been cancelled - not sure on that and still trying to get someone at the organization hosting the class to confirm back to me. So I may just be taking tomorrow off, not driving anywhere. Which would be FANTASTIC. I am already planning to be off on Friday so I'd love to turn a 4 day weekend into a 5 day weekend! GLORIOUS!
And the worst part was: I knew I'd be doing it again today - only this time, to Woodland, which is 20 miles past Sacto. And I was dreading it all day yesterday. The predictions said 'fog all week' and I braced myself for not one, not two, but THREE days of driving north for meetings, classes, etc. 'Cuz I have to be there tomorrow, as well. Sacto, again. I'm getting very familiar with the down town area...and stumbled across our State Capital building on a recent trip there and have to say - it is really beautiful. Truly. I didn't expect to be so 'emotional' about seeing it - but it is a beautiful building. In a beautiful area. Made me kind of understand why J. wants to visit D.C. He was born there and he wants us to see it - see all the history. I've not been particularly interested in going there - but I sort of 'get' the history and the significance of the buildings and the monuments. So maybe we'll try to do that soon.
This morning, I DID allow plenty of time - and heated up water in the electric hot pot. Let it cool a bit while I made a travel cup of coffee (haven't done that in a LONG time) and then took the hot water out to my car to pour on the windows. Only there was no frost. No moisture in the air AT ALL. Crystal clear, dry and freezing cold. With wind. But I can drive fine in windy conditions. I was so relieved. Made it to Woodland in plenty of time and it was a pretty drive. Anything would have been prettier than yesterday's gloom.
Tomorrow, who knows? For one thing, it appears the workshop I was planning to attend may have been cancelled - not sure on that and still trying to get someone at the organization hosting the class to confirm back to me. So I may just be taking tomorrow off, not driving anywhere. Which would be FANTASTIC. I am already planning to be off on Friday so I'd love to turn a 4 day weekend into a 5 day weekend! GLORIOUS!
Monday, January 14, 2008
Daddy-oh-Daddy
I was reading some of the blogs I follow and one of the writers was sharing how her 14 month old son has suddenly started wanting his Daddy to do the nap time or bed time routine, instead of his mom. And she's fine with it - hey, she's been the full time primary caregiver of the little boy for 14 months and has been waiting (read praying) for the day when her son would prefer his dad.
It made me think about when B. was a baby - and he'd wake up every morning and stand in his crib and say 'Daddy o daddy' - all run together, like that was his name - 'Daddy O. Daddy'. I still can hear his little voice calling. It was all Daddy, all the time in our house when the kids were little. J. was as much the 'primary caregiver' as me and in fact, J. did more in many ways. He was the 'poop king' (dirty diapers beware) and the prince of baths. He couldn't wait to get home every night to see the baby (and me) and would play and play (with the baby - um, he'd play with me, too, later, after the baby was in bed but this is a family blog so I'll skip that part) until it was time for the baby to get to bed. He was (and still is) an incredibly involved dad and the kids frequently asked for him. Still do, pretty much.
Mostly, they ask for him now 'cuz they know what they're about to ask requires their dad's patience and/or his guyness. There are plenty of things happening around here that only a(nother) man will get. PLENNNNTTTTYYY. I try to just stay out of it all and let the 'men folk' work it out.
I sometimes still long for those 'early' days, wishing I could be like the stay at home moms I see around our neighborhood. Out for a walk with the baby in a stroller, dog on a leash, iPod in their ear. We weren't able to financially afford for me to be home - or so we thought at the time. And I kind of regret that decision back then, 'cuz it has made our 'two income household' a way of life - and it's hard to go back from that once you're in it. We could have made a lot of different decisions back then and maybe I could have stayed home with the babies. That picture, that dream of doing that would be bliss in this house, in this time. But back then, in what to me was a dark, dreary, stressful condo nightmare, it would have been a serious mistake. I would have gone completely loony in that place all alone with one and then two small boys. Getting out of that place everyday with work to go to was probably what saved me, really. And so I can't really regret doing that 'cuz it got us to here. And here is great.
I don't regret a thing, but I do wish I had the clarity and communication skills I have now way back then. I could have been more communicative about what I really wanted - to be home with my boys in a real house. And while that decision would have been incredibly hard for J. - BART didn't come out to Pleasanton at that time and a commute from 'out in the valley' would have been incredibly long - we might have been able to have a home out here, or even in Livermore, that might have made me staying home feasible.
I know that all the decisions we've made, and I've made have led me to now, and to this. And this is magical. These years, in this house, with this family have been absolutely, without a doubt the best, happiest days of my entire life. Really, truly redefined happiness for me. This is my place and my home and these 3 men are my peeps. And I wouldn't change a thing - past or present.
But their baby years disappeared in the blink of an eye. And I wish I had realized that while it was happening. I mean - I realized it. But I didn't get that it really, truly would be over so quickly.
Good thing I still have amazing memories of that time, including hearing their little voices - B.'s 'daddy-o-daddy', as one example. And H. asking 'want 'nup' - which was his way of saying he wanted to be picked up. 'nup' he'd say, with his little arms stretched up. So sweet. So cute. So mine...and his. Bliss.
It made me think about when B. was a baby - and he'd wake up every morning and stand in his crib and say 'Daddy o daddy' - all run together, like that was his name - 'Daddy O. Daddy'. I still can hear his little voice calling. It was all Daddy, all the time in our house when the kids were little. J. was as much the 'primary caregiver' as me and in fact, J. did more in many ways. He was the 'poop king' (dirty diapers beware) and the prince of baths. He couldn't wait to get home every night to see the baby (and me) and would play and play (with the baby - um, he'd play with me, too, later, after the baby was in bed but this is a family blog so I'll skip that part) until it was time for the baby to get to bed. He was (and still is) an incredibly involved dad and the kids frequently asked for him. Still do, pretty much.
Mostly, they ask for him now 'cuz they know what they're about to ask requires their dad's patience and/or his guyness. There are plenty of things happening around here that only a(nother) man will get. PLENNNNTTTTYYY. I try to just stay out of it all and let the 'men folk' work it out.
I sometimes still long for those 'early' days, wishing I could be like the stay at home moms I see around our neighborhood. Out for a walk with the baby in a stroller, dog on a leash, iPod in their ear. We weren't able to financially afford for me to be home - or so we thought at the time. And I kind of regret that decision back then, 'cuz it has made our 'two income household' a way of life - and it's hard to go back from that once you're in it. We could have made a lot of different decisions back then and maybe I could have stayed home with the babies. That picture, that dream of doing that would be bliss in this house, in this time. But back then, in what to me was a dark, dreary, stressful condo nightmare, it would have been a serious mistake. I would have gone completely loony in that place all alone with one and then two small boys. Getting out of that place everyday with work to go to was probably what saved me, really. And so I can't really regret doing that 'cuz it got us to here. And here is great.
I don't regret a thing, but I do wish I had the clarity and communication skills I have now way back then. I could have been more communicative about what I really wanted - to be home with my boys in a real house. And while that decision would have been incredibly hard for J. - BART didn't come out to Pleasanton at that time and a commute from 'out in the valley' would have been incredibly long - we might have been able to have a home out here, or even in Livermore, that might have made me staying home feasible.
I know that all the decisions we've made, and I've made have led me to now, and to this. And this is magical. These years, in this house, with this family have been absolutely, without a doubt the best, happiest days of my entire life. Really, truly redefined happiness for me. This is my place and my home and these 3 men are my peeps. And I wouldn't change a thing - past or present.
But their baby years disappeared in the blink of an eye. And I wish I had realized that while it was happening. I mean - I realized it. But I didn't get that it really, truly would be over so quickly.
Good thing I still have amazing memories of that time, including hearing their little voices - B.'s 'daddy-o-daddy', as one example. And H. asking 'want 'nup' - which was his way of saying he wanted to be picked up. 'nup' he'd say, with his little arms stretched up. So sweet. So cute. So mine...and his. Bliss.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Accomplished
Today, I:
1) did four loads of laundry.
2) pulled some dead, water-logged plants out of the flower beds in the backyard.
3) cleaned the kitchen.
4) loaded, unloaded and reloaded the dishwasher.
5) lemon-oiled the kitchen cabinets.
6) cleaned out the fridge a bit which resulted in clogging the garbage disposal.
So I unclogged it with the now weekly baking soda and vinegar method. Time
for a new garbage disposal, I think. It clogged with just two eggshells. That's
it. What's the point of having a disposer if you can't dispose of anything
without having to create a chemical reaction to get it cleared?
7) ran errands, including putting gas in J's car for him; Petsmart for pet supplies;
Target for household supplies and a stop at Starbucks for caffeine supplies.
8) played fetch with Chloe so many times, I can't estimate how many times I
threw the darn toy. I can; however, confirm it was a lot 'cuz it re-irritated the
bowling elbow I've had since the Wii bowling event of New Years eve.
9) watched a Netflix movie.
10) made a meatloaf and mashed potatoes for dinner and browned 4 pounds of
ground beef to bag and put in the freezer - while watching the Netflix movie.
It was a productive day and yet relaxing. Quiet. Just me and Chloe-bear keeping each other company. She's finally tuckered out and curled up on the floor behind me trying to stay warm. It's 48 degrees outside. COLD.
Things I did not do:
1) go into work. And I'm fine with that. I won't feel fine about it tomorrow AM as I prepare for the four hour meeting I have starting at 8:30 - but it felt great today and TODAY was the most important. It was NOW - and I need to not work so much - it's one of my resolutions.
I'm watching the Amazing Race with J. - I watched it when it was on earlier this evening but am happy to watch it again with him. After it's over, I'm heading up to bed. The kids are already getting ready for bed - at 8:30. They are very tired. The day was tons of fun, though sadly a friend who was with them (they went with a bunch of friends and J. and another set of parents, thank goodness) fell and likely broke his pelvis. Just like C. did this time last year. Bummer. They got him home to his parents and his symptoms were all too familiar - he was able to move (walk) but in a fair amount of pain. It happened on his last run of the day, which was good in that it didn't wreck the day. But it feels bad to know he's hurt. They really try too many things they shouldn't - but they're kids and you can't keep them from doing what they're going to do. I think having two friends who've been seriously hurt will make B. and H. think twice about trying a new trick, or a new jump. Or ANY trick or ANY jump. I hope.
Night for now. I'll try to post this week but can't promise. It's a very busy week ahead!
1) did four loads of laundry.
2) pulled some dead, water-logged plants out of the flower beds in the backyard.
3) cleaned the kitchen.
4) loaded, unloaded and reloaded the dishwasher.
5) lemon-oiled the kitchen cabinets.
6) cleaned out the fridge a bit which resulted in clogging the garbage disposal.
So I unclogged it with the now weekly baking soda and vinegar method. Time
for a new garbage disposal, I think. It clogged with just two eggshells. That's
it. What's the point of having a disposer if you can't dispose of anything
without having to create a chemical reaction to get it cleared?
7) ran errands, including putting gas in J's car for him; Petsmart for pet supplies;
Target for household supplies and a stop at Starbucks for caffeine supplies.
8) played fetch with Chloe so many times, I can't estimate how many times I
threw the darn toy. I can; however, confirm it was a lot 'cuz it re-irritated the
bowling elbow I've had since the Wii bowling event of New Years eve.
9) watched a Netflix movie.
10) made a meatloaf and mashed potatoes for dinner and browned 4 pounds of
ground beef to bag and put in the freezer - while watching the Netflix movie.
It was a productive day and yet relaxing. Quiet. Just me and Chloe-bear keeping each other company. She's finally tuckered out and curled up on the floor behind me trying to stay warm. It's 48 degrees outside. COLD.
Things I did not do:
1) go into work. And I'm fine with that. I won't feel fine about it tomorrow AM as I prepare for the four hour meeting I have starting at 8:30 - but it felt great today and TODAY was the most important. It was NOW - and I need to not work so much - it's one of my resolutions.
I'm watching the Amazing Race with J. - I watched it when it was on earlier this evening but am happy to watch it again with him. After it's over, I'm heading up to bed. The kids are already getting ready for bed - at 8:30. They are very tired. The day was tons of fun, though sadly a friend who was with them (they went with a bunch of friends and J. and another set of parents, thank goodness) fell and likely broke his pelvis. Just like C. did this time last year. Bummer. They got him home to his parents and his symptoms were all too familiar - he was able to move (walk) but in a fair amount of pain. It happened on his last run of the day, which was good in that it didn't wreck the day. But it feels bad to know he's hurt. They really try too many things they shouldn't - but they're kids and you can't keep them from doing what they're going to do. I think having two friends who've been seriously hurt will make B. and H. think twice about trying a new trick, or a new jump. Or ANY trick or ANY jump. I hope.
Night for now. I'll try to post this week but can't promise. It's a very busy week ahead!
TLC
While watching TLC last night [think it was Flip that House], there was a promo ad on that Paige Davis is returning to Trading Spaces! I'm so excited! I love that show but when she left, it just lost it's 'zing' - and I'm so happy to hear they are bringing her back!
Only thing I wonder is: I did a Google search on her and saw that this was announced way back in November. How did I miss it? Maybe it just didn't get much buzz...but I hadn't heard a thing about it until the promo. I even rewound it (love being able to rewind TV) to be sure she wasn't coming back for a special or something. Cannot wait to see the new season!! Glad to have a reason to tune in 'cuz I haven't been watching that show much since she left. The hostess-less format didn't flow well and wasn't that fun too watch.
It's just after 7AM on Sunday morning. J. and the boys have been out the door for just over an hour. The sun is starting to come up. I wanted to go back to sleep but if I did, I would sleep until 9 or 10 and I don't want to do that. Have the dishwasher running and will start a load of laundry shortly. J. took Chloe out before he left so she's not frantic, but she's 'whining' slightly in her kennel since she saw me come into the study. I'll go get her shortly. Just need a few more minutes of quiet time to wake up before letting the taffy colored tornado out of her lair. She is still puppy-like in her zest and excitement for the new day dawning.
I have to admit that when we had Dani - the entire time we had Dani, really - we weren't really experiencing the true joy of dog ownership. Dani was wonderful and sweet and played the best she could with her limitations. But now that it's just Chloe, I realize how fun dogs are. She plays non-stop (which can be irritating when you've played 'fetch' with the same toy for what feels like hours and she acts like she's just getting started) and she is just so happy. Ears bouncing, prancing, turning around- when she's really excited, she does a 360 degree turn while prancing - she's just so much fun. And we never really had that with Dani, who had to be (necessarily) cautious and moved far more slowly. Chloe exhibits that wonderful 'dog excitement' that I've never really seen before now - even if you've only been out of her sight for a minute, she greets you as if you've been gone for years and she is just so happy and relieved that you're back - just pure doggy glee. It is incredibly cute and fun and warms my heart - even whilst she's being a major PITA. She's still a sweet, cute, charming PITA and we are all having a ball with her. She plays with the boys and cuddles with anyone who has an open lap. She is a family dog now, and it's really fun having her around.
J. caught me browsing on the Internet - was on another blog and there was a banner ad for a dachshund breeder in San Diego so I clicked on it and somehow, it was then that J. turned around to ask me something and noticed. He said 'what are you looking at?' with a slightly irritated but more bemused tone. I said 'just looking. I don't want another dog so don't worry'. But those puppies sure were cute. Chloe is it for us - our last dog. We want to head into retirement pet less - so we don't have the worry, expense, etc. of boarding pets or fining home sitters when we want to head to Paris for the weekend. Which we will, a lot, I'm sure (not). But we want to be able to.
And with that, I'll go get her up for the day and start a quiet Sunday home alone.
Only thing I wonder is: I did a Google search on her and saw that this was announced way back in November. How did I miss it? Maybe it just didn't get much buzz...but I hadn't heard a thing about it until the promo. I even rewound it (love being able to rewind TV) to be sure she wasn't coming back for a special or something. Cannot wait to see the new season!! Glad to have a reason to tune in 'cuz I haven't been watching that show much since she left. The hostess-less format didn't flow well and wasn't that fun too watch.
It's just after 7AM on Sunday morning. J. and the boys have been out the door for just over an hour. The sun is starting to come up. I wanted to go back to sleep but if I did, I would sleep until 9 or 10 and I don't want to do that. Have the dishwasher running and will start a load of laundry shortly. J. took Chloe out before he left so she's not frantic, but she's 'whining' slightly in her kennel since she saw me come into the study. I'll go get her shortly. Just need a few more minutes of quiet time to wake up before letting the taffy colored tornado out of her lair. She is still puppy-like in her zest and excitement for the new day dawning.
I have to admit that when we had Dani - the entire time we had Dani, really - we weren't really experiencing the true joy of dog ownership. Dani was wonderful and sweet and played the best she could with her limitations. But now that it's just Chloe, I realize how fun dogs are. She plays non-stop (which can be irritating when you've played 'fetch' with the same toy for what feels like hours and she acts like she's just getting started) and she is just so happy. Ears bouncing, prancing, turning around- when she's really excited, she does a 360 degree turn while prancing - she's just so much fun. And we never really had that with Dani, who had to be (necessarily) cautious and moved far more slowly. Chloe exhibits that wonderful 'dog excitement' that I've never really seen before now - even if you've only been out of her sight for a minute, she greets you as if you've been gone for years and she is just so happy and relieved that you're back - just pure doggy glee. It is incredibly cute and fun and warms my heart - even whilst she's being a major PITA. She's still a sweet, cute, charming PITA and we are all having a ball with her. She plays with the boys and cuddles with anyone who has an open lap. She is a family dog now, and it's really fun having her around.
J. caught me browsing on the Internet - was on another blog and there was a banner ad for a dachshund breeder in San Diego so I clicked on it and somehow, it was then that J. turned around to ask me something and noticed. He said 'what are you looking at?' with a slightly irritated but more bemused tone. I said 'just looking. I don't want another dog so don't worry'. But those puppies sure were cute. Chloe is it for us - our last dog. We want to head into retirement pet less - so we don't have the worry, expense, etc. of boarding pets or fining home sitters when we want to head to Paris for the weekend. Which we will, a lot, I'm sure (not). But we want to be able to.
And with that, I'll go get her up for the day and start a quiet Sunday home alone.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Back
Survived the 'first week back'. It was long. It was grueling. But we're through it now and onto week two of 'post Christmas break' which will be even worse. Out of the office for workshops, etc. more than in, which will result in trying to jam 40 hours worth of work into 2 days. Doesn't include meetings which will eat up another days time. Sometimes, when I think of the 'math' of these hours, it just seems impossible. And yet, somehow, I always manage to do it.
I worked only 1/2 day during the break, which I'm proud of, since it took every ounce of willpower I had to NOT work more. Isn't that sad? I packed up and schlepped home my entire desk - and then forced myself to not work. 'Cuz somewhere around the beginning of the last full week off, I just felt like if I worked during my 'time off', the job would really, truly eat me alive and I would be consumed for all eternity. That worked - except now, I am back at work and paying dearly for not moving stuff forward even during my 'off' time. Still, I am OK. I work best when the deadline is HERE and/or past. It's not perfect, but it works. So I will muddle through.
For the five people who read the blog regularly, thank you. I appreciate the inquiries re: 'when will you update again' and love that someone out there is reading this besides my husband (who is one of the five and personally, my favorite reader, though I'm biased). And the other four - (you know who you are, J., my sister K., Bug and my Aunt M.), you're tops, too.
We still have miles to go in the garage, though there was significant progress. The kitchen is looking spectacular - and H. has been a major driving force in that, having (apparently) decided that he needs more money to fund his post-Christmas purchases and literally forcing me into further culling items from counter tops, cupboards, etc. It looks really nice and I've started a list of other projects to work on, one cupboard at a time. Hey, I'm willing to supplement his allowance and I have to admit, when the kid gets moving on something, he just digs in and gets it done. Like me in that respect, I guess.
I have several resolutions I am attempting to keep: sticking to Medifast; planning and preparing meals on weekdays more regularly - not that we won't resort to Taco Bell and the regular pizza delivery when I have a Board Meeting once a month...but I want to get better at planning and using food we have on hand. Used to be really good at that when we first moved here and have gotten lax about that. Even more so since B. started driving - it's sometimes just so much easier to hand him $$ or my debit card. But I've cooked three nights this week, with leftovers a couple nights and have menu items in mind to shop for today in preparation for next week. Since dinner is really the only 'regular' meal J. and I eat, I want it to be real food that satisfies us. I arrive home absolutely famished and can barely make it through the preparation of the meal without scarfing frantically. Still, I keep trying. And J. - well, he's just doing phenomenally well. He's reached the minus 50 pound mark and I'm so proud of him. He's just so disciplined about it. Rarely cheats, even on weekends.
J. is taking the boys snowboarding again tomorrow (he is a great dad, isn't he?) and I will most likely go into my office for a bit (to get a head start on the week). We've had gloomy, stormy weather for many days in a row but today, the sun is shining and the forecast for tomorrow is more of the same. Might try to get out into the yard - we've had some storm damage out back and there are some things that need to be pruned back to presentable shape. I'm not a big fan of slogging through the mud to groom my flowerbeds, shrubs, etc. but ignoring the things that obviously need attention now will only make the Spring clean up more grueling. Our yard, while beautiful, is not low maintenance. Wish it were, but sadly, it's not. There's a price for beauty.
That's it for now. Have other posts 'brewing' in my head but this week may be a 'light posting' week also. I always think of things I want to write, for my own memory banks more than anything - but finding the time to do that is challenging. Sometimes [often times, actually], it's beyond words. Much to say about work but I won't blog any of that. These are challenging times for education in our fair state, and challenging times for me, personally. But I will muddle through. I'm stubborn. And I will make it through as will our schools and our students. 2008 is going to be a bumpy ride.
Oh, and we are getting the keyboard on my machine replaced under warranty. Dell mailed us a new one and J. can replace it himself. They asked if we had kids using the keyboard? and a series of other questions trying to understand why the keyboard is falling apart. Apparently, the Inspiron series isn't made for 'industrial' use. Whatever that means. I type fast and I apparently have a 'hard touch' particularly on the left side of the keyboard, which is where all the keys that have fallen off so far have been from. However, I note this morning that my right shift key is about to go and the arrow keys underneath it aren't far behind. So it's a good thing we're getting it replaced and at least we know that they are replaceable. The computer's not even two years old so it shouldn't be falling apart yet. It still has to get us through our next Hawaii trip (in only TWO MONTHS!!) and many more blog postings, games, etc. This computer will probably be the laptop B. takes to college with him, so it needs to last.
I worked only 1/2 day during the break, which I'm proud of, since it took every ounce of willpower I had to NOT work more. Isn't that sad? I packed up and schlepped home my entire desk - and then forced myself to not work. 'Cuz somewhere around the beginning of the last full week off, I just felt like if I worked during my 'time off', the job would really, truly eat me alive and I would be consumed for all eternity. That worked - except now, I am back at work and paying dearly for not moving stuff forward even during my 'off' time. Still, I am OK. I work best when the deadline is HERE and/or past. It's not perfect, but it works. So I will muddle through.
For the five people who read the blog regularly, thank you. I appreciate the inquiries re: 'when will you update again' and love that someone out there is reading this besides my husband (who is one of the five and personally, my favorite reader, though I'm biased). And the other four - (you know who you are, J., my sister K., Bug and my Aunt M.), you're tops, too.
We still have miles to go in the garage, though there was significant progress. The kitchen is looking spectacular - and H. has been a major driving force in that, having (apparently) decided that he needs more money to fund his post-Christmas purchases and literally forcing me into further culling items from counter tops, cupboards, etc. It looks really nice and I've started a list of other projects to work on, one cupboard at a time. Hey, I'm willing to supplement his allowance and I have to admit, when the kid gets moving on something, he just digs in and gets it done. Like me in that respect, I guess.
I have several resolutions I am attempting to keep: sticking to Medifast; planning and preparing meals on weekdays more regularly - not that we won't resort to Taco Bell and the regular pizza delivery when I have a Board Meeting once a month...but I want to get better at planning and using food we have on hand. Used to be really good at that when we first moved here and have gotten lax about that. Even more so since B. started driving - it's sometimes just so much easier to hand him $$ or my debit card. But I've cooked three nights this week, with leftovers a couple nights and have menu items in mind to shop for today in preparation for next week. Since dinner is really the only 'regular' meal J. and I eat, I want it to be real food that satisfies us. I arrive home absolutely famished and can barely make it through the preparation of the meal without scarfing frantically. Still, I keep trying. And J. - well, he's just doing phenomenally well. He's reached the minus 50 pound mark and I'm so proud of him. He's just so disciplined about it. Rarely cheats, even on weekends.
J. is taking the boys snowboarding again tomorrow (he is a great dad, isn't he?) and I will most likely go into my office for a bit (to get a head start on the week). We've had gloomy, stormy weather for many days in a row but today, the sun is shining and the forecast for tomorrow is more of the same. Might try to get out into the yard - we've had some storm damage out back and there are some things that need to be pruned back to presentable shape. I'm not a big fan of slogging through the mud to groom my flowerbeds, shrubs, etc. but ignoring the things that obviously need attention now will only make the Spring clean up more grueling. Our yard, while beautiful, is not low maintenance. Wish it were, but sadly, it's not. There's a price for beauty.
That's it for now. Have other posts 'brewing' in my head but this week may be a 'light posting' week also. I always think of things I want to write, for my own memory banks more than anything - but finding the time to do that is challenging. Sometimes [often times, actually], it's beyond words. Much to say about work but I won't blog any of that. These are challenging times for education in our fair state, and challenging times for me, personally. But I will muddle through. I'm stubborn. And I will make it through as will our schools and our students. 2008 is going to be a bumpy ride.
Oh, and we are getting the keyboard on my machine replaced under warranty. Dell mailed us a new one and J. can replace it himself. They asked if we had kids using the keyboard? and a series of other questions trying to understand why the keyboard is falling apart. Apparently, the Inspiron series isn't made for 'industrial' use. Whatever that means. I type fast and I apparently have a 'hard touch' particularly on the left side of the keyboard, which is where all the keys that have fallen off so far have been from. However, I note this morning that my right shift key is about to go and the arrow keys underneath it aren't far behind. So it's a good thing we're getting it replaced and at least we know that they are replaceable. The computer's not even two years old so it shouldn't be falling apart yet. It still has to get us through our next Hawaii trip (in only TWO MONTHS!!) and many more blog postings, games, etc. This computer will probably be the laptop B. takes to college with him, so it needs to last.
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Tackled
We have started the new year off with amazing progress on several huge undertakings. Yesterday, we cleaned out our pantry - entirely. Shelf by shelf. It saddens me how much food we tossed - things that were open and never finished and therefore had lost their 'crunch', etc. But as J. said 'no guilt - it's amnesty day - let's just clean it out'. So we did - and it looks great. Though it's still a complete PITA to find anything but that's just the nature of the pantry itself. Built into a corner, the shelves are very, VERY deep. Deep enough that H. was crawling into the pantry on his stomach to reach the corners for me and most of his body was inside. So it's hard to keep things within reach and all visible. There's only so much 'front row room' available, kind of like the Toyota Corolla. We have an inventory now and will be eating off the pantry for the next few weeks to cull out even more - and then will keep a running list of what's in there on the inside of the door. Also planning to list available snacks so the kids know what's available and won't forget about things like Wheat Thins, cereal, etc. We won't buy so much - go back to buying what we need for the week and not 'stock up' as much, since we never seem to use some of it. Should cut down on the grocery bill a bit.
Today, we worked on the garage. Unearthed many treasures, including several kitchen things I've been looking for since we moved in SEVEN years ago. The coffee grinder, a waffle iron (since replaced - soon to be donated), a silver bread basket (which I look for EVERY fancy dinner we have and have never found until today), some myrtle wood salad bowls given to us as a wedding gift by J.'s cousin (my recall of exactly who gave them to us and for what occasion amazed J. - sadly, however, my short term memory is not that great) and the knife and serving spatula from our wedding cake. OH, and the coffee grinder - so now I can finally buy whole beans again. Haven't wanted to do that since I had nothing to grind them with and didn't want to spend the $$ for something I knew we had...so now it's located.
Which of course leads to issues because there's nowhere to put these newly located items. Kitchen cupboards are pretty darn full. But that will be my task over the next couple days - to try to clean out the various other cupboards and hopefully cull out and find places for these recent finds.
The other treasures revealed included Zeek the Zebra - he was in the basket of my first two wheeled bike when I was around 7 or 8. He is 40 years old and his age is showing. He's lost an eye and is pretty 'old' looking - but I moved him into the house, into a keepsake box I keep upstairs.
Also unearthed was a photo collage and one of the pictures is me and my dad taken on January 1, 1963 - me on his lap sitting in his chair with the Christmas tree next to us. I would have been 2 1/2. It's a great picture and it was neat to find it close to 47 years TO THE DAY later.
I just lost the "c" on my keyboard. Have lived months without the left shift and control keys - but losing a letter is not something I can live with too long. So I'll try to get the computer in to the 'shop' tomorrow and pray they are able to fix all these things. Can't believe a Dell laptop is falling apart. I must type too hard.
J. returns to work tomorrow. Poor guy. I sort of return to work tomorrow since I have my entire desk here (including my work laptop) and have a few things to work on before returning. The boys are heading to the mountains with friends tomorrow to snowboard for the day, which lets J. off the hook, since he was going to take them on Saturday. So now, he'll be home to help with the continued culling of the garage, cupboards, closets, etc.
We sold the second Wii to a friend from church whose kids are thrilled to have one. They all pitched in their Christmas money to get it and we are happy it went to someone who looked and looked and couldn't find it in the stores anywhere. We sold it for what we paid for it and were just happy to not need to return it. The Wii is a huge hit - LOVE IT, LOVE IT - we are ALL playing and really having a good time and it was a huge hit at the New Years eve party as well. So more Wiis will be flying off the shelves as many more people are now convinced they must have one. Glad we can assist in the commerce. As the stock market continues it's sad decline.
That's all the news. I'll see if I can scan the photo and also try to capture a picture of Zeek and post my first pics on the blog sometime this weekend. No promises, but I'll try.
Today, we worked on the garage. Unearthed many treasures, including several kitchen things I've been looking for since we moved in SEVEN years ago. The coffee grinder, a waffle iron (since replaced - soon to be donated), a silver bread basket (which I look for EVERY fancy dinner we have and have never found until today), some myrtle wood salad bowls given to us as a wedding gift by J.'s cousin (my recall of exactly who gave them to us and for what occasion amazed J. - sadly, however, my short term memory is not that great) and the knife and serving spatula from our wedding cake. OH, and the coffee grinder - so now I can finally buy whole beans again. Haven't wanted to do that since I had nothing to grind them with and didn't want to spend the $$ for something I knew we had...so now it's located.
Which of course leads to issues because there's nowhere to put these newly located items. Kitchen cupboards are pretty darn full. But that will be my task over the next couple days - to try to clean out the various other cupboards and hopefully cull out and find places for these recent finds.
The other treasures revealed included Zeek the Zebra - he was in the basket of my first two wheeled bike when I was around 7 or 8. He is 40 years old and his age is showing. He's lost an eye and is pretty 'old' looking - but I moved him into the house, into a keepsake box I keep upstairs.
Also unearthed was a photo collage and one of the pictures is me and my dad taken on January 1, 1963 - me on his lap sitting in his chair with the Christmas tree next to us. I would have been 2 1/2. It's a great picture and it was neat to find it close to 47 years TO THE DAY later.
I just lost the "c" on my keyboard. Have lived months without the left shift and control keys - but losing a letter is not something I can live with too long. So I'll try to get the computer in to the 'shop' tomorrow and pray they are able to fix all these things. Can't believe a Dell laptop is falling apart. I must type too hard.
J. returns to work tomorrow. Poor guy. I sort of return to work tomorrow since I have my entire desk here (including my work laptop) and have a few things to work on before returning. The boys are heading to the mountains with friends tomorrow to snowboard for the day, which lets J. off the hook, since he was going to take them on Saturday. So now, he'll be home to help with the continued culling of the garage, cupboards, closets, etc.
We sold the second Wii to a friend from church whose kids are thrilled to have one. They all pitched in their Christmas money to get it and we are happy it went to someone who looked and looked and couldn't find it in the stores anywhere. We sold it for what we paid for it and were just happy to not need to return it. The Wii is a huge hit - LOVE IT, LOVE IT - we are ALL playing and really having a good time and it was a huge hit at the New Years eve party as well. So more Wiis will be flying off the shelves as many more people are now convinced they must have one. Glad we can assist in the commerce. As the stock market continues it's sad decline.
That's all the news. I'll see if I can scan the photo and also try to capture a picture of Zeek and post my first pics on the blog sometime this weekend. No promises, but I'll try.
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Horse Balls
We spent our New Years playing a variety of games with friends. This years rotation included: pool, ping pong, Jenga, Wii Bowling, darts and HORSE BALLS. Yes, Horse Balls. Not sure how it received it's name....it's basically kind of like horseshoes. A 'stand' made of PVC pipe, about 3 feet high with three pipes across at different heights. The 'balls' are golf balls with the center drilled out knotted securely to the end of sturdy rope. You 'swing' the ropes and toss them toward the stand. The bottom rung is 1 pt.; the middle is 2 pts. and the top is 3 pts. You play until a team reaches 21 points. If you go over 21, you start back at 15 and try again.
You play to 21 points UNLESS it's 36 degrees outside, and you have a bunch of inexperienced horse ballers. 'Cuz if you don't, you'll have teams of folks freezing to death and getting more and more dissatisfied with the game because getting to 21 takes FOREVER. So we played until 11 points and dropped back to 7 if you went over.
The evening was great fun - great friends, including meeting a lot of 'new' people who we've seen at church a million times and just never officially been introduced to. It was great food, great fun, lots of laughs and champagne at midnight. We arrived home around 1:30 this morning after being crowned the Wii Bowling champs - and while everyone assumes we did so well because it was our Wii being used, I had truthfully never played until last night. Not true for J. who sprained his hamstring practicing since Christmas.
The boys spent the night and are expected home shortly. J. and I got up around 10AM. I could have slept longer but it's a new year, new day and I have a lot to do - trying to start the new year off right with a new, improved approach to things.
The great thing is: this time last year, work was starting tomorrow. But this year's vacation allows for the remainder of the week OFF, not returning until the 7th. It's GREAT to have so many days remaining on the vacation. I just love that!!
Happy New Year! everyone. I hope 2008 brings you smiles, laughter and joy. And it's the year of change, God willing. So here's hoping.
You play to 21 points UNLESS it's 36 degrees outside, and you have a bunch of inexperienced horse ballers. 'Cuz if you don't, you'll have teams of folks freezing to death and getting more and more dissatisfied with the game because getting to 21 takes FOREVER. So we played until 11 points and dropped back to 7 if you went over.
The evening was great fun - great friends, including meeting a lot of 'new' people who we've seen at church a million times and just never officially been introduced to. It was great food, great fun, lots of laughs and champagne at midnight. We arrived home around 1:30 this morning after being crowned the Wii Bowling champs - and while everyone assumes we did so well because it was our Wii being used, I had truthfully never played until last night. Not true for J. who sprained his hamstring practicing since Christmas.
The boys spent the night and are expected home shortly. J. and I got up around 10AM. I could have slept longer but it's a new year, new day and I have a lot to do - trying to start the new year off right with a new, improved approach to things.
The great thing is: this time last year, work was starting tomorrow. But this year's vacation allows for the remainder of the week OFF, not returning until the 7th. It's GREAT to have so many days remaining on the vacation. I just love that!!
Happy New Year! everyone. I hope 2008 brings you smiles, laughter and joy. And it's the year of change, God willing. So here's hoping.
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