when moths attack

I'm sitting in the living room giving myself a mani while chatting on line with B (whose name will remain in the vault). It's kind of hard to do both, but I'm a multi tasker at heart. I catch the glimpse of something out of my left eye. Josie sees it too. All of a sudden Chloe is up and running after...A MOTH!

I swear though, she is part raccoon because she loses interest almost as quickly. Now she's meandering around the house, unsure of what she should do next. Josie and Simon are both collapsed and sleeping. Which reminds me, must go mess with Simon... (I have taken to waking him up and annoying him when he sleeps as payback for every single morning since the day he entered our lives).

So my list of chores today:

1. clean bathroom
2. figure out what to make tomorrow for dinner with our friends.
3. pick up clutter around house
4. work more on laundry
5. go grocery shopping (might wait until I have the car for that since it's probably going to be more than I will want to carry home if I walk)
6. try not to listen to Larry and Fran next door as they yell at one another ("I can't believe you said that! I told you not to say that! I really can't believe you would say that!" Larry...she said it, deal with it)
7. finish manicure

meeting friends

I got to meet one of my online friends, Ginny, today in real life! We had such a nice time chatting and getting to know one another. She is a doll! It's wild, if you think about it. I mean, here a little less than two years ago, we'd never known the other existed. Now, I have another good friend to visit when I'm in AZ (not sure when that will happen, but with Kev and I both having sisters there, and my dear Kerri there too, it is bound to happen sooner than later). Their two dogs, Suzy and George, are a riot! Suzy is crazy and full of pep. George is laid back and cold chillin'. George...my kind of dawg (he's in pic #1)! LOL

I wished I could bottle up Suzy's energy to take with me. She is such a sweetie and just wants to loooooove you! She's the apple of her Pop's eye.

You can't tell from this picture of her, but she really is a wind up toy. :) She's just taking a break.

Driving home from Woodburn (where they live during the summer) I saw the funniest site ever. Wish I'd had the camera out and ready to go...

You know those cat trees. You know, the ones covered in carpet, multiple levels, circular portions as well as platforms? Imagine a big pick up truck towing a cage like structure on wheels...FILLED with these trees. The truck bed was also filled with them. Wha?

some mornings

I wake up dizzy. Usually I figure it's a certain time of the month and I need to boost my iron. I'm not sure why I am dizzy today though...

I didn't drink to excess last night (three beers from a keg...of not such good beer...) over the course of many hours. And I ate while consuming those three.

I didn't sleep all that well, but I'm not sure why. Kev kind of snored last night, but not as much as normal after he drinks beer.

I have had my bagel and I'm on my second latte.

I'm trying to unpack the 14 gazillion cases of shoes I got in yesterday (I only have about 6 left now) but each time I look from packing list up to the shoes, I feel all swirly. I have decided to let my coworker (who is supposed to come in today for the sole reason of helping me unload) finish up. I got through over half of them yesterday so I feel as though I've done my part. I hope he's ready for a big day though because I have a few things in the back room that really need to be shifted around and organized better. From what he says, that's what he loves to do. We'll see if he's singing a different tune after he visits my stock room.

Okay, going to go try not to hurl all over everything...this is a new thing too, feeling nauseated while dizzy (no, I can't be pregnant, trust me).

please, check your brain at the door

I am serious. I was ready to kick myself yesterday for forgetting the "integral" part of the process of getting the photos I was going to take of all the lines of shoes from the camera to the computer. I had left the cord at home. Today I had an epiphany.

So...the memory card...on the camera...it comes out and will stick straight in my laptop and it will read it, like that *snap*.

I figured that one out, today. When I'd brought the cord with me. ARG!!! The best part? Yesterday, slow. Today, much busier. What did I do to piss Newton off?!

i get the email

And it says:

"I think I will join you for yoga tonight. I think I could use some."

The first thought through my mind was "YEA!" The second, "Oh crap, he's had a rough day and is stressed."

Thankfully it was not the second, but just him feeling he would like to join Jill and myself in our practice. Diana was quite happy to have him join us, as Jill and I were too. It's a different energy when your life partner joins you in doing something you absolutely love. It's a beautiful thing.

We practiced outside and it was a perfect day. There was a slight breeze that would cool us every so often. The ground was nice and soft. Sigh...I want to be back at that practice right now. Although I know I can take it with me, and will aspire to do so.

I hope all are having a wonderful day. I hope the things you need in your life are presenting themselves to you (or you are finding them how you need).

Namaste

sally mander

Yesterday morning I woke up at 7:30 like normal (even on my days off it's normal). I fed the crew, let Josie out to potty, made myself an ICED latte and headed out front to make my Sunday morning calls. I spoke with Mom and Dad's answering machine. I spoke with Mom and Dad's cell voice mail. I spoke for a second with my friend Reagan and then Dad beeped in. She said no problem so I clicked over. I found out Mom was still at the number I'd called earlier in the week so I called Mom.

Every Sunday I call my parents. It's become one of my favorite rituals. Sometimes we chat for an hour and a half, others we just chat for twenty minutes. Mom and I spoke of her getting sprung from the hospital and how good she sounded (and consequently felt).

While I was making all these calls I received a call from our friend, James. He was rallying troops to go to a place called Buck Lake (which we renamed, Lake Salamander for the sheer number of salamanders that were swimming in the lake). Kev got up and I ran to the store to get vegetables to cut up as well as the dip in which to dip them (yes, I take veggies and dip to the lake...HUSH!) as well as a few other essentials.

This is where we spent all day yesterday:

The boys (Merek, James, Aquila, and Kev as well as Kona the dog) all swam much of the day and I sat under the shade of a tree with Josie and knit. It was a beautiful day indeed...

The photo shows you where four of the five who were swimming were. I think Aquila was at the side, sitting on a rock at the time? Or just getting ready to go out and meet Kev.

Anyway, as I said, I was sitting and knitting with Josie, who'd had enough traipsing around the water and rocks and was NOT happy when Kev and she hiked down to the car for a couple more things and he MADE her come back up the "stoopid hill" to where we were again. She parked her butt and didn't move until it was time to head home. She sat with me the whole day. Although, when I would get up to go do things, she'd be right behind me (which prompted me to have to tell Kev to call her back each time just so she wouldn't be too tired to hike back down the hill).

This is me enjoying myself: well, you'd see an image of Josie's butt under my legs as they are propped up on a cooler with beer in the background and knitting on my lap but blogger doesn't seem to want you to see it. Hmmm...

my name was almost whiny mcgee

Yeah, the A/C I raved about in yesterdays post...conked out this morning until 1:09. I seriously thought I was going to have to close up shop as the temperature inside was rising and rising (it got to about 83 INSIDE the store that kept filling up with people!!!). And then, after my boss came in and said there wasn't anything that he could do until Monday to have it fixed...and then he got in his car with A/C and drove away, it came to life. I think it got sick of my whining too.

It's still 78 in the store, but let me tell you, it feels MUCH better than 83!

In other news:

Time is standing still. There, I've said it. It's an odd phenomenon that most who work in the world of retail understand. Ten minutes feel like two days. I kid you not! You can not believe that only an hour has passed because it feels like next week already. And customers don't really help make the time pass any quicker. They simply make you want to gouge out your eyes when you realize you still have three and a half hours left. Well, not all customers make you feel that way, but most on these slow ass days do.

Okay, so maybe the title should have read: hello, my name is whiny mcgee. Ah well. Some days, you just have to have whine with your lunch.

with bob marley playin'

I'd complain about the heat, but where does that get me?

Instead I will say that I'm glad that there is a fan blowing on me as I type this. I'm glad the dog and cats are laying as still as they possibly can. I am glad that I work where it feels like I'm in a refrigerator. I'm glad I work tomorrow(!?), when it's supposed to get even warmer.

I'm also glad to be sitting at home now, two beers in my belly (I know they dehydrate, shush!), and an ad built for work. It seems as though I will be working the next few Thursdays as my dear coworker, who has taken over for me so I can do things away from the shop, has to head to the East Coast for a while. Her family needs her and she needs them. Her Grandmother passed away either last night or just today. She'd been battling death, but she finally allowed herself to go. My dear coworker is saddened, and will miss her, but knows that she's not suffering anymore.

I am feeling a bit burned at both ends at work lately though. I have spoken with the ol' bossman about it. Today he said something that, it wasn't until later, pissed me off..."what are you doing for me Thursdays anyway?" Ummm, let's see. Shall I make a list? I listed a few things off and let it go. He left and I got annoyed. What ever.

I've got things on the horizons. That's all I'll say.

Now, I think I'm going to see if yoga has brought to me the ability to fold myself in half so I can stick myself in the freezer.

when the mind fails...

I could have sworn I'd written something here earlier today. I mean, I remember opening the window and staring at it blankly. I think I even had a small inkling of something to write nudge me a bit. But then I come here and nope, nothing. A dream, perhaps?

Ah well, I am here now and that is all that matters...

Yeah, I'm here with NOTHING in my mind to write. Although I do have ideas, just not sure they'd be appropriate or appreciated.

Oh! Here's one that is good:

Kevin is an amazing person. He is good to me. He is kind. He picked up my lazy ass from yoga tonight because I didn't want to take the bus home (in my defense it really is the scariest of the buses). He paused his movie and came and got me and Jill. She offered to let us drop her where ever he wanted, and I suppose he did...at her front door. That's just the kind of guy he is. I am lucky to have met him and to have married him.

Okay, I'm tapped out now.

'night.

cat for sale

must be a person who is understanding of the fact that this particular cat is an annoying son of a...

no, he's not really for sale (or for free even), but he IS driving me bananas! it's 15 minutes until dinner and he has started the whole song and dance of "I'M DYING WOMAN, JUST FEED ME SOME DAMN FOOD."

all the while i'm being a horrible mother and working more on color corrections. this is my favorite (and most impressive) so far today.

before:

after:

the correction of color

Wow, what a thrilling day I'm having today. It's a day off, but because I played hooky on Thursday last week I decided to do the right thing and work on my works website today. I've updated one brand (although it has yet to show my changes...lovely freemerchant taking its sweet time) and decided to work on color corrections for another part of our catalog. It's almost as fun as watching paint dry. Don't get me wrong, I loves to do this part...but I'm almost thinking I might take a nap and come back to it in a bit. Each one can take a minute to maybe three, which isn't that much...except when you have at least 60 images to do, then time creeps up on you and before you know it, the day is over.

So here is a taste of my day, thus far (I started shortly after Kev went to work with only a few breaks for ironing his shirts, working on laundry, making and eating lunch, and chatting a little bit with friends).

before:


after:

I swear, we had a great weekend, but nothing exciting to write about. We're lame, so sue.

Yeah, the Sleep Dragons are circling my head. I'm out.

expecting a day

I am fully expecting today to be a huge day. I think there will be throngs of customers at some point and when my dear coworker is here. This gives me hope that the day will actually pass with some kind of speed. Last night, the last two hours, slammed. I can only hope for more like that today!

Kev will be going to an International Brew Fest today for a while before we head to our friends house to meet her parents. I forgot to tell him we'd be heading to the Alameda Brew Pub for dinner...maybe I'll text message him so he doesn't over indulge while there (on beer or food).

I've gotten all the pictures taken to update a certain part of one of the massive catalogs.

UPDATE: it's now many, many hours after I began this post (and had to hit save when someone came in and needed my help).

It was a day indeed, although not so much with the $$, but with the # of people. Coworker was awesome. She really is quite an amazing young woman. I look forward to every Saturday we get to work together. She's taken off and it's just me for the last hour and ten minutes.

Still haven't heard from Kev yet.

the littlest fruit

I got home last night from yoga to find Kev sitting out back. There was evidence he'd attempted to start a fire but was unsuccessful. This made sense because it'd rained pretty much all day and the wood was probably pretty darn wet.

We spoke of our days and what all happened and didn't. Then I said, "I wonder when we will start seeing tomatoes on our three plants" (we have a roma, besser and oregon sweet). Kev said, "We have some already."

And sure enough, we do!

I can't tell you how excited I am that little Ms. Roma is starting to produce fruit. There is nothing more tasty than your own, home grown, tomatoes. I am hoping that Mr. Besser and our Little Oregon Sweet are soon to follow in her footprints.

open letter to the jerkwads

I find it annoying that here it is, the 12th of July and you still insist on setting off fireworks at 1:00 in the morning. Obviously you have no respect for your neighbors OR their animals. Yes, you, the jerkwads who set them off on the 4th (or rather the 5th at the time of 1:30 AM) and whom I yelled at to KNOCK IT OFF. Your response, classic, talking loudly about how the dog was upset and scared all the while setting them off again. You are rude and I wish you would get kicked out. I know you rent because of the lack of grass, plants, and general lack pride you take in the house in which you live. If I only knew who you were renting from...the laundry list of complaints would be a long one indeed.

I am not a fan of holidays that encourage people to blow things up repeatedly. I think it's a silly thing, really. I know I've already ranted here about it, but suck it...remember whose blog this is. :)

I would call the cops, but honestly, don't think they'd get by in time to catch you in the act. And that is annoying to me as well.

no rest for the wicked

I don't know how wicked I am, but I will not be getting any rest this week. I am booked solid through Friday evening. Am I a bit weary and tired and sad about this? Kind of(?). I brought it on myself and the things I'm doing aren't going to be exhausting at all. I think it's just the thought of "I have plans every night this week" that is making me tired. :)

Let me share:

Last night, meeting with my Dansko rep to look at spring/summer 07 (cute things, girls).

Tonight, yoga.

Thursday, my friend Kay is coming back through town and we will be running around before coming back to the house for dinner and then zipping her to the airport for her evening flight.

Friday, drinks with my new bus pal (she's the same age, has the same interests...she's not a Bill in the least).

We have no plans for Saturday (other than me working, cuz he said we couldn't do the changes, yet). And Sunday, I can't think that far in advance. I will do some color corrections of some images of clogs for our site (I have to retake photos today without the flash) at some point this weekend (since I'm playing a bit on Thursday, I'll work on Monday).

Any big plans?

a soothing medley

Somebody in the hood either just got a casio keyboard OR they are playing the harp. But whatever the instrument, a lovely medley of "Memories," "Send in the Clowns," among others has been played this morning. Just since Kev left for work a bit ago...

"Send in the Clowns" reminds me of my Junior High music teacher, Ms. Meddill. When I was in 9th grade she started walking with a cane. Her spine was collapsing on her. She wouldn't live more than another year. She made me sing that song for a solo at performances. It will always make me think of her with great fondness and sadness. She wanted so much for me to sing opera, but I never had that love.

an indication?

I am sitting in front of the laptop as Kev is putting his dishes in the kitchen. He opens the dishwasher and asks, "Are these clean?" To which I respond, "Yes, but you can take care of them tonight when you get home. I have yoga." His reaction, "Isn't today Tuesday?"

I'm really hoping it's not going to be one of those weeks. I really hope that Ahmed will say that he loves my idea of getting the kids site and the outlet site up and running, which makes me having two days away from the shop (at least for now) logical. I really hope I can sell him on it.

I also really hope, that the week doesn't drag by because I'm already feeling off by a day.

let the sleeves commence

Well, the sleeves are underway. I wouldn't call them a shrug for the simple fact they are really going to be two sleeves that are simply connected to one another. There is not going to be any kind of body, I will not be increasing along the back to have it cover my back. It will cover one arm, open up across my shoulders to the width of the sleeve, then I will reconnect the sides back into the tube (wow, hope that makes sense to anyone...).

The color is pretty true to what you see. I love photoshop!!! I will be finishing them for a fabulous trip we have planned in November, when I will need simple sleeves for the airplane ride. No bulky sweater to take up space or be in my way. Just sleeves. Well, for now, just a big cuff.

And dinner is calling. If the recipe turns out good, I will post it over at Recipes for the Tasting. If not, we will not speak of it at all. Yeah, Kev just looked at it, says the pork isn't even on the thermometer's reading. So a bit more time it is.

I'll post more pictures as I get further along.

(for those knitters: CO 108, two rows stockinette, then a k2, p1 ribbing...Lanett superwash 100% merino wool that I got for a steal)

An interesting aside: I figured out I had to cast on the 108 stitches on the summer solstice, the same day I did the 108 sun salutations...I didn't realize it until we began our salutes.

wow, more cuteness!

Got the second of the two hats for my friend done. I can now, officially, start my sleeves. They are already on the needles, but...I put them down when I got the yarn for my friend.

So, what you think?

Oh, and Mike Ness (lead singer from Social Distortion) wants me to make him one. My big break? Who knows. I just know, I really enjoy making the baby hats. Granted, I really enjoyed making those pockets...

oh dear doG!

I was completely caught off guard this morning. Not only by her being there, but her being their when I opened. I assume she heard the "work downtown Saturday" bit, but on the "Noon to four" part. There were two times I told her to back off when I was working with a customer and she was trying to add her two cents. I wasn't too shy about telling her I had it. She responded well though and backed off. She didn't seem upset or hurt by it either. I just think she is so eager and wanting to please us that she'll listen, but only do about half of what we ask her (or have to be told in small, simple steps).

So if it all goes according to my plan, I'll be working Mon-Fri starting next week. I approach Ahmed tomorrow with the grand plan. I think that NOW is the time to have the two girls who just started work together on Saturday when it's still slower. Summers are always slower, not sure why.

Just got home from having a beer and some lovely nibblies at The Gladstone Pub (aka The Stone) and will be making that a regular haunt this summer. Okay, off to read one of the TWO magazines I got today!!! What a great way to end a rather annoying day. :)

Cheers!

random bits

What to write, what to write...

Today will go one of two ways. I will either be driven crazy by my co-worker OR I will be firing her if she's late. Let's just say she's been consistently late. After her last time when she was an hour late with no call, she's been warned (that was her second warning). Is it bad I kind of hope she's late?

I've almost got the second of two baby hats done for a friend of mine to give to hear friends. The first was the Cheshire Cat hat. Striped, ears, no smile though. I will be getting a photo of the two together when they are both done.

Josie was oblivious to the squirrel in our cherry tree this morning while out taking care of business. At first I thought she was simply concentrating on the matter at hand before going and barking up the tree. Nope, she came trotting up to the house and I let her in. Squirrelie was still back there yammering away last time I was back there...up, spoke too soon, Josie now knows.

She's a great dog. She came back the first time I asked, and I didn't even have to make much of a sound.

Time to go to the bus. Don't think I'll update later, while at work, but you never know.

my dislike for fireworks outweighs the loathe i feel for parades

It is the fourth of July. It is the "get really drunk, set off copious amounts of things that are filled with powders and things that will go boom and hope to not set fire to any houses, explode any fingers off, and set great examples for the kids who are helping us with our 'display'" of July. It is the "make my dog really upset until she gets herself worked up in a lather as she paces through the house and the only thing that calms her down is Radiohead played loud enough to make Kev say 'that is too loud'" of July.

I am not a fan of this day. I bet you couldn't tell.

miserly years?

I couldn't resist this for some reason. I kind of like it...

'What will your obituary say?' at QuizGalaxy.com

Shari made me do it...well, not really made me, but I saw it at her blog and well...

thunder and fireworks

Poor Josie. She's getting both of her least favorite things in one night tonight. It's actually thundering here in the Pacific NW! That's not something we normally get to experience. Fireworks are also exploding all around the neighborhood. I am hoping that the houses that are directly around us will refrain from joining in the festivities.

Last year we (Josie and I) sat in the cave and blasted Radiohead all night. Thank goodness they have long albums! We listened to every one we own and I think only had to listen to one of them twice. Tonight we have the Blues Fest playing on KBOO. I love that they broadcast live (with a lovely 38 second delay). It has been fun this weekend, listening to the music that is happening down by the river.

Normally if something is a bit bass heavy Josie calms quickly. The blues have been good this year. I'm not sure if the Blues Fest is every fourth of July or if this year is just a happy accident. I'll take it either way though.

I get to go into work tomorrow for six hours. We'll see how much we end up making. Any bets? I will be training someone tomorrow, so I suppose it's good to have it be quieter so we can discuss things without being interrupted often.

Okay, panting dog is making me hot...must go get a bottle of water.

Be safe this holiday weekend!

at night, it smells like rain

The smell of the air right before it rains is probably one of my most favorite of scents. Crisp and clean. It invigorates with each breath you take. It only lasts a short while, until those first few drops hit the ground. And then it is gone.

One thing I have noticed this summer is that the night air, when it's finally cooling off, smells like rain.

I am reminded why we moved to this part of the country. However, it's the spring and summer rains that have the scent of life. The rains that come during the fall and winter descend upon the decay of the leaves from the trees, leaving the air to smell not of life and of hope, but of the promise...

What is to come.

gin + wine = no good things

Okay, so I guess when you have two gin and tonics (not even THAT strong) and then you share a bottle of wine with two other people (yeah, three people to one bottle) no good things can come of it. I don't know why praying to those porcelain gods last night happened, but it was so. Was it the dressing on the salad I ate that was bad? Was it just a bunch of toxic feelings I need to release? Would it had happened without the alcohol?

Embarrassed, yes. Ashamed, a bit. At work, unfortunately.

I must own my actions though and I do. I am here. I'm feeling better because those boys at the Coffee Plant are my heroes this morning. Somehow I left my wallet at Jenn's house? I walked in, well more like shuffled in, and the boys asked if I was feeling okay. I admitted last night and they told me they would float me today. I will pay them back next Saturday, plus. I couldn't even knit this morning. And I didn't feel I had drunk to excess, that's where I'm at a loss.

So yes, I share the embarrassing moments of me (thankfully, no pictures were taken to commemorate the evening). Jenn dropped my wallet at the house and called to say she was there (I was literally three blocks down the road on the bus that had just picked me up). We are planning on going to our friends house tonight for a party. I will not drink. I will be the driver.

I must say though, the burps are here and I'm thankful for them...