my own personal hell

Back when Kevin was moving in with me, prior to getting married (don't judge!) I spent an evening with a good friend who was visiting from Tennessee writing a decree. This decree stated that he was never to play any Bob Dylan while I was in the apartment, in the car, etc. He was, and still is, very aware of my dislike of dear old Bob. He understands and therefore does not play any of his music (which is what I hear most people call the sounds Bob produces) when I am around. WHY does the local radio station I listen to at work NOT understand this decree? I mean, COME ON!!! His voice to me is like the sound metal makes when it rubs against another metal object, or when you scrape your teeth on the tines of the fork....gagghghh! Can not stand that sound, I can not stand the sound that Bob emits and you can't make me!

I just got done trying to ignore "Like a Rolling Stone" by dear old Bob. I couldn't tune it out, I couldn't turn it off, I just had to suffer. I have a hard time changing the station when I have customers in the store. And when said customers are HUMMING ALONG it makes it worse. I imagine myself having a royal freak out and screaming at them wildly while doing everything in my power to get to the radio or remote control so I may in fact change the station. But I don't ever do it. One of these days Alice...

When I was visiting my sister in LA I got a taste of XM radio. Man, I want! We saw the little do-dad you use to transmit it to your car, body, house at Target. Only $50...not bad. Then Kev said, "you do know you have to subscribe to it, don't you?" Yes, dear, I do know. I've not looked into how much it costs, but boy I can only imagine radio at work with NO commercials, NO repeats...sigh.

according to reggie

My blog has gotten stale. I don't know if he feels this will all of a sudden wipe away all and any block I have for coming up with fantastic and new things or if he thinks that I'm holding all the "good" stuff back and not sharing...it boggles my mind really.

I yelled to Reggie as Kev was talking with him yesterday to start his own damn blog so I can bitch and moan about him. I don't think he's going to. Kev's suggestion was a word of the day blog. Who knows, maybe Kev will start that one.

My Dad told me to tell Reggie to look at my sidebar to check out blogs I find entertaining. I told him I thought he didn't want to get sucked into blogs of those he doesn't actually know. Little does he know, he's missing out on some hysterical people!

do this!!!

My friend Kerri sent me this:

1. in the google search bar type the word: failure
2. click the "i'm feeling lucky" button...
3. report back

what a weekend

It was a great weekend. We shared time with many friends, we ate much food, I yacked a bit....

Kev got me a snazzy new web cam for my birthday. I've learned how to use it with Yahoo IM but am a bit confused how to make AOL IM realize it is connected.

I went and got the damn upholstery hose for the steam cleaner. Although honestly I refuse to call it a steam cleaner since the flipping thing doesn't produce heat and actual steam. You mix the solution with "VERY HOT TAP WATER". How in the hell does that make it a steam cleaner?!?!? Oh well, spot cleaned the carpet again where Josie had been going. Got her a new bed at Target to put at the spot when it's all dry so she doesn't continue using it for a potty. Kev just ran the regular vacuum and is unloading the dishwasher. I've got a bit of laundry to do before tomorrow (mostly, what I'm wearing now...this will get interesting since we are going out to eat BBQ tonight). I suppose I should go change and start a load so I can have things hanging to dry by tomorrow.

Joy, aren't you glad you popped in to see what was happening in our world today? Thrilling...no?

note to self

Always take the day after your birthday off if it is flowing right into your weekend...

I woke feeling rather groggy this morning. Nothing like a horrible hangover, but just out of it and sad I was having to go into work. I'll deal, I always deal. It's funny because when I drink wine I tend to wake in the middle of the night with a headache and cotton mouth. I drink almost an entire small bottle of water and by morning I'm just groggy and wishing I could stay in bed (why I don't drink wine on "school" nights often).

Kev has told me that tonight, we go to El Tapatio with various friends at 7:30. I'm happy!!!

i love you all!

Oh my girlies...

I am so honored that the six of you could come out and join me in celebration (and was thoughtful of all those who couldn't be there at Southpark with us...).

Jill, Chaz, Jenn, Amanda, Shannon, Yoon...wow, what amazing women I know! Thank you all for making my birthday that much brighter. I can't wait to see what Kev has in store for me tomorrow.

My friend Yoon popped into the store this afternoon, right around 4:30. I'd not seen her for some time. She's a customer turned friend (I seem to pick up many of my friends at the store). I instantly asked her what she was doing tonight to which she replied, "nothing, what's up?" I asked her to join us for my birthday celebration and she happily did so. It was a night full of annoying men (we will forever call that portion of the bar the "axis of evil" and when going to the restroom it's "just left past the axis of evil"), fabulous wine and other libations, amazing conversation, and beautiful friends. I've had such a wonderful day and am thankful for each of my friends, those who could be there with me physically and those who were there with me in spirit (you all know who you were...try all of you!!!).

Okay, I'm off to consume bottles of water (I only had three glasses of wine so not too bad) and find a silly book to read.

'night!

in love

...with mozilla firefox!!! No, the comment a few posts ago did NOT have any influence what-so-ever over my choice to download it at work. The memory of opening my faves in tabs was the reason.

I suggest you all try it today...purrrrrr.

cold pad thai with scallops...

Last night after an incredible yoga practice Diana, Jill and I went out for dinner. Pad Thai Kitchen...drooooool. The best Thai in town! I ordered my favorite, pad thai, scallops, medium heat. PER!FECT!

So, today's birthday lunch (ahem, ahem, nudge, nudge...) will be cold pad thai with scallops, medium heat. Nothing makes me happier than that. The simple things.

remember to breath

when stressed, try this:

take a nice deep breath in, count to three or four, let it out slowly, counting to the same number. keep breathing with inhale matching exhale in length. see how it makes you feel. do this for five breaths. feel better?

i do.

list time once again...

1. Finish paying bills (home and work).

2.Get Judy's email address so I can pass along all the information for her reps so she can email her own orders in for the kids store.

3. Put together fill in orders for a couple companies.

4. Break down some recycling.

5. Call the OR Dept of Revenue and ask them where the hell our tax money is!!!

6. Call Stark Vacuum repair and arrange to have a hose held for the steam vac I borrowed (which broke while I was using it...grumble).

7. Deal with customers as they come in (ongoing event).

8. Send my dear Tanya her birthday gift.

9. continue tagging things onto this list as the day allows...

italics=done...couldn't find the strike through

Thanks Bekah!

i am one

One person is all I am. I can't do five things at once, I can only do one...although with multi tasking I can attempt to do all. However, to multi task is to half ass. I don't like doing anything half assed. So I continue with my mantra "I am one". I understand that things need to get done quickly. I also understand if I get things earlier and not last minute that I'll actually do them and get them done well. Last minute sometimes equals sloppiness as well. I don't like sloppy, especially when my name is attached to the project, or whatever it is I'm working on.

So, I take a deep breath and continue on with the things that needed to be done yesterday and think to myself, "I am one."

she knows, she knows

Why is it my inner guide always knows things and I sometimes listen and sometimes don't? Why don't I always listen?!?! Please, let me listen...

Example 1:
thoughts to myself..."I should really wear a belt today." Results: I don't and all day at work I am spent pulling up my pants, which is damned annoying.

Example 2:
thoughts to myself and the out loud to Kevin..."You might want to take a dry tee shirt on our hike today." Results, we end up getting dumped on and he was thankful for dry clothing.

Example 3:
thoughts out loud to Jenn, my steam cleaning friend..."I hope the machine doesn't break while I am using it!" Results: The hose for the upholstery cleaning rips in two right as I spiral it back onto the machine and have it hooked ever so nicely in each little spot designed specifically for holding the hose in place. This leaves me with nasty, and I mean nasty, water and sludge from the living room through the hallway and into the kitchen where I had taken it to make disposal of the nasty water easier, you know so I wouldn't slop it all through the house? I suppose I should have let her use the machine first, but then again she only has rugs to clean so I would have ended up having to call her to let her know that the hose broke anyway. I now am searching for the Hoover Steam Vac Ultra hose (do you think I could find the part number ANYWHERE? NO!) It's model #F5872-900. Hoover.com is of no help.

Luckily I did get all the steam cleaning done AND the vacuum part isn't affected by the hose not working so at least I didn't destroy the entire machine. Ugh.

Kev and the animals are all currently locked in the bedroom until carpet, area rug and sofa are dry. All I can say is it's damn nice I got done with the sofa prior to it breaking...can you imagine a half done sofa?

Note to self, LISTEN TO THE INNER GUIDE, she knows, she knows.

you must know by now

How much I adore my dog. She's such a funny creature. She's sweet. She's a lover. She's a goofball. She's happy. She's crazed and insane. She's a pain in the ass. She's...MY pain in the ass.

This was taken last night when she was feeling exceptionally snuggly. Her tongue is warm. I love kisses from her, although not when I'm not expecting them. That would fall her into the PITA catagory. The stealthly walk by kisses...not so much. The "give me a kiss" or "can I have some sugar" kisses are all kinds of what I'm about.

I can hear it now, the "ewwwwww, dog kiss" comments. Until you know the love of a good dog, you'll never understand why I love my dog T H I S much!!!

I heart my Josie!

she came in!

So remember the girl Jen whose red shoes we were stretching? I posted if she was reading the words I was writing she should come pick up her shoes...

She came in. Sadly she couldn't find the link on Jen in KC's site, but that's okay because I showed her what I'd done and we got a huge laugh together. It was lovely to start my day with a wonderful gal and a giggle or two.

The very cool thing, we figured out we live in the same area and have swapped numbers so we can get together sometime and hang out. Man, this job is great. Not only does it feed the shoe addiction (the addiction it started mind you) BUT it has given me quite the group of really fabulous friends!

Anyway, just wanted to let you all know that she got her shoes...cuz I sooooo know you were all losing sleep over it. Especially you Reggie and Russ!

my friday night...and then some

My friend Jenn and I got a surprise hang out night last night (Fri). It was so much fun! I also got a surprise in the mail from my dearest Tanya who is stuck in GradShitTownsVille, Illinois for Grad School. Jenn's house got me the loan of her in-law's steam cleaner (more on that later if I am feeling up to sharing). Tanya's surprise landed me with the most beautiful, hand knit, GORGEOUS scarf with the sweetest note of birthday greetings (so I opened the package a week early, she didn't say not to!!). I am nervous about the steam cleaner, not nervous, but annoyed we have to use it in the first place (again more later...we'll see). I am in love with the scarf that is the accessory I didn't know that I wanted but now that I have it in all it's gorgeousness I can't imagine not having it in my life!!! Don't you agree that Tanya is amazing and talented and her scarf ROCKS? Don't you adore friends like Jenn who loan you large equipment, AND the cleaners that go in that equipment, so you can have your sanity back (really, I'm getting to that in the next paragraphs)?

I was going to take a picture of the steam cleaner as well, but that is just an ugly reminder for myself why we needed to borrow it in the first place. Okay, Mom, get ready because this story, she ain't pretty...

While I was gone in Los Angeles a couple of weeks ago (man, it's been that long?!) Josie decided that instead of holding her bladder (I know you see where this is going but I will continue) she would go in a small spot on the new carpet in the cave. Since my darling husband has a fairly weak sense of smell he didn't smell it upon arriving home. No, there was no visible wet spot as the color of the carpet we chose is perfect at hiding things like that. When I got home that Sunday night/Monday morning I instantly was smacked upside the head with an odor that was not pleasant.

"Josie peeped in the house."

"She did?"

"Yes, you can't smell that?!"

"No....(gets into the room I'm in)...awwww JOSIE!"

Now, we know that she really wouldn't have peeped inside if she was able to hold it. Kev's work day is much longer than mine and thus, she couldn't hold it any longer. He had been unable to get home to let her out, thus she couldn't hold it. Now she has that smell there to lure her into peeping again, and again, and again. We've bought Nature's Miracle (yes, the incorrect apostrophe is their typo, not mine) and sprayed the hell out of the spot. It worked for a couple of days but then yesterday when I got home...peep.

Jenn told me she'd get the steam cleaner and let me use it first (I am smitten with my friend, not because of the steam cleaner but because she's an amazing woman who makes me laugh out loud...often!). So tomorrow morning I will get up and after me crash course in steam cleaning 101 I will set out to clean the wall to wall carpet, the area rug in the living room and the sofa in the living room as well (neither of the last two things are peep stinky, but just a bit off in their own right and need some attention).

why?

Why do people come in, ask for something and when I show them what I have they say, "Oh, that's not really what I had in mind. I had something more like that (pointing) in mind." So when I remember HEY that comes in that size now and produce said item they come up with all kinds of reasons why it wouldn't work. I understand the first item not being what they were looking for, but the second, the one they pointed out, why?!?!

Just curious...

you are so jealous, i know!

Erin Brockovich. She wears a size 8 shoe! And I just sold her two pairs for herself and one pair for her friend. ROCK ON! She handed me her card. I took a look at the name and said, "I thought that was who you are..." She smiled and said, "Yep, it's me!" Then when I went to look at the signature on the back of the card it was absent and I proceeded to joke that even though I knew who she was would she like to show me proof. She laughed and she showed me her drivers license. We spoke of writing "ask for ID" on our cards, etc. They are in town for some event, but even though I'm nosy I didn't ask what event...

Erin Freaking Brockovich!!! She's an amazing woman. And I sold her shoes!!!

happiness is

A warm pair of socks fresh out of the dryer when your feet are ice cold.

with no fat cat on my head

I woke this morning right at 7:00. I think part of me was surprised because I didn't have the warm, fat, orange cat trampling across my head like normal. I didn't have to pee. I didn't have an alarm accidentally set. I just simply woke up. My favorite way to wake. :)

The animals were all kinds of excited that they were actually getting breakfast at their regular feeding time instead of an hour or so late. I was excited about getting to get up and give myself a manicure (I know, I'd just gotten one last week in LA, but they were just too long...words I never thought I'd write or say about nails growing on my hands...I digress). I was excited because the house was quiet and all mine. I fed the crew, let Josie out and then told her to go back to bed. She did. Every so often she would come visit me, but then she'd go back to her warm fleece lined bed and snooze more. Now there is the faint hum of the washer as it runs through it's rinse cycle and the smell of the heater as it turns on for the very first time of the year. Winter is coming.

Today I was supposed to meet with Naomi, the tattoo artist whom I'm having work on my leg. She called yesterday not sounding like she felt all that well and asked if we could postpone the meeting as she'd been fighting the flu all week. I told her to call me when she felt better. Myself, having just gotten over either a really bad cold or a sinus infection, didn't feel like getting the flu. So I am now waiting for 12:00 to roll around. You see today is the benefit for Mercy Corps at the Yoga Shala. Diana has no idea we are going to join her class at 1:00. I am very happy to get to see her today. A perk for my weekend really.

Diana is possibly one of the most beautiful people I've met since living here in Portland. She's an amazing spirit. She is calming. She is energizing. She kicks my butt... :) Before Jill and I "stumbled" into her class in January I really had no idea what was going to become of me and yoga. I think I thought it would be something that I'd do for a little while, get bored, move on (like so many of the things I do, sadly). But it's become more for me. A way of life really. I find myself in situations where I would have at one point gotten quite upset and frustrated but now instead I listen and take in everything before reacting. I try to see things from every point of view before I say or do anything. It has allowed me to become more proactive in my life.

For this, I thank Diana.

odd, i know

Jen, the girl who dropped off a pair of ruby shoes to have them stretched...if you are reading this, your shoes are ready (and will be downtown by tomorrow, the 1st of October). My boss said our repair guy couldn't find the ticket once he got them done. Since I gave you the addresses of PlazaJen as well as Mir at Woulda Coulda Shoulda and told you that Jen had linked me...off chance you'll have actually followed the pathes to me, but you never known.

Okay, if you read this I'll see you in the next day or two. If you don't and you happen in, I'll share this post with you so we can get a hearty laugh out of it.

Cheers!

published writer? doubt it.

I will probably never be a published writer, and I'm okay with that. I enjoy writing here because so many of our friends and family (and now a few people who've found me via the blog whom I don't know, but really want to have lunch with if I'm ever in their necks of the woods-Jen and Bek) where was I? Oh yes, our friends and family have told me they enjoy being able to know what is going on in our life (or would that be lives?).

Not much. Kev is working. I am working. The sinus gnomes have beaten down the mucous gnomes in a battle royale. The cats are fat and sassy. The dog is lean and crazy. The rains are here today, we'll see what tomorrow brings.

I have been continuing down the road of yoga and feel myself drawn in even further. Our class was on Tuesday this week, and was the prime reason the mucous gnomes came out from hiding as early as they did. There is nothing like a little down dog to get things a flowing! Diana handed us a flyer for a Mercy Corps Benefit this weekend at the Yoga Shala. She will be teaching a 50 minute class called "soul vinyasa" that Jill, Shannon and myself will attend. We've not told her we are going to come. We'd like to surprise her. The money will be heading to the south to aide those in need after the hurricanes ravaged their neck of the woods. I'm just excited about getting out into a studio and showing off. :) Diana has been really pushing us hard and it feels great.

Like I said, I'm never going to get published, nor will I win any major awards for my writing.

everyone together....awwwww

This is my cute dog. Her name is Josie. She is approximately 4 years old. She is a black lab mix (I think she's mixed with either cat, doberman, or squirrel). We adopted her almost two years ago (the day after Thanksgiving of 2003).

She's a cutie, but don't let her cuteness fool you. She's insane. Take, for instance, when I came into the cave to putz around on the computer this evening. She'd been lying with her pig stick on the ground, guarding it from everyone. She got up and started wagging her tail, she turned her body towards me and as she did she whacked herself in her face with, you guessed it, her own tail. She didn't stop wagging, nor did she change the orientation of her body. She just sat there and wagging her tail and smacking her face, simply because I was coming into the room.

I love my dog Josie.

friends are goooo-ood

Lotion-ized Kleenex. My friend Jenn (not to be confused with Jen) brought a box in today for me. I called her last night to let her know that I wouldn't be making it tonight to her Alias season premire party. She thought I sounded like death and brought me facial tissues. I had told her I used almost a whole roll of toilet paper at work yesterday. Today, I have real, made for your nose, honest-to-goodnes, KLEENEX! Thanks Jenn! ;)

sinus gnomes attack

Thanks to Jen I have remembered what she calls the evil beings that unleash their evil (yeah, I can't think straight right now) on your world. Gnomes. My sinus gnomes and my mucous gnomes have gotten together and are throwing the biggest party in my head. I hate them. They are evil. They have made me want to blow my brains out through my nose...at least that is what it feels like I am trying to do each time I blow my nose. And those gnomes have made me want to sleep. Just sleep. I'm getting to go in a couple of hours late today and I did go to bed at 8:30 last night, but there is a difference between going to bed and falling asleep. Falling asleep didn't happen all that easily last night. I even took some Tylenol Sinus night time. I called my boss and asked if he could open and let me try to get more sleep. Sadly the more sleep didn't work and I just ended up eating breakfast and sitting still, when not blowing those damn gnomes out of my head...

Saturday and Sunday

sisters
Originally uploaded by chlortence.

Shall we see if Flickr and Blogger will work hand in hand now? It seems as though they will...

So last I left off we were heading into Saturday. We got up when we felt like it (so nice to be able to do) and went on a long walk with Oscar. He had a ball on the beach (until we read the sign that said NO DOGS ON BEACH). OOps. :) He was pretty tired, as we were, when we got back to the house (which btw is fabulous!!). We ate a little breakfast because we'd both realized we were so excited about getting our day started that we failed to eat anything prior to our hour and a half walk. We decided to go walk around the promenade and shop a little. I got a great book called The Alphabet Sisters. CRY CRY CRY!!! I scored a top at Urban Outfitters. Was on sale...$5.51! We then zipped home after an afternoon of shopping and lunch and decided to not go to yoga (I may have mentioned that in a brief post earlier). We went out to a bar not far from their house, or their favorite sushi joint. After we listened to a really bad bar band-we dubbed them Creediohead (and playing bar band bingo where you list all the bands they could possibly cover) we headed over to sushi. Amazing. I can see why it is their favorite place to go. We wandered home (which is when the photo came from) and hung out a little before heading to bed.

Sunday we slept in later and then had to go to her office to gather some posters we were going to give away at the Abbott-Kinney street fair. We worked a booth for a couple of hours selling politically charged tee shirts. It was a lot of fun. We met David out for lunch before heading for our stint at the booth. I bought Kev a "Vote for Pedro" tee shirt. I got myself some stationary. We headed back to the booth. We hung there for the two hours we'd said we would work and then went home to Julianne's so I could finish packing and head to the airport. It was a long ride home to Portland, but I am so glad that I could go. I had a great time and look forward to when Kev and I can go there together so he can see where they live. Right on the canals of Venice beach. Beautiful!

So now I'm home and it's Tuesday (yesterday we got up with just minutes to spare before we had to go to our dentist appts). I'm at work and it's going rather slowly, although at the same time it's already halfway done. Tonight I have yoga and will have to see how my sinuses will deal with it. I had been feeling a bit nasal before heading down and it just got worse being on the plane. I hate plane air!

tennis anyone?

Okay, tried to post something via Flickr last night but it ended up only loading the photo. Here is Oscar. The cutest boy dog in my life! I can not get enough of him really.

So, my weekend:

Friday- I arrive a bit later than scheduled because the original flight had me arriving in San Francisco 40 minutes AFTER my flight to LA took off. So yeah, in at 9:30 but the plane I was trying to catch left at 8:50...you do the math. So I got on a direct flight from Portland to LA...oh yeah!.

I get in and call Julianne. She is on her way and is only minutes from the airport. I jump in the car, she is squeals and tells me how great I look (remember, she hasn't seen me but has heard of the "hot new bod" as she has taken to calling it). And then she drops the "bombshell" on me. "Trina Turk's outlet is only open today...not Saturday like we'd planned, do you want to go there now?" How fast can we get there? :) I found the most amazing pants there for...wait for it...$20!!! Yes, that is correct. Pants that would have been $125-150 at Nordstroms. So after Trina we head to her house to drop my things off, let me change shoes and we head to Abbott-Kinney (a street that has great shops that's not far from her house). We go to our nail appointment, where I proceed to have my girl take off the polish she just put on (rather poorly) and put on a different shade that is just a sheer, almost clear, polish. I felt a little guilty, but honestly wasn't impressed by the first color and decided I was going to be happy.

After nails we went to Rocca for dinner. David didn't join us, he had plans to go off and just be a guy's guy and go eat sushi. Julianne and I had a great time together and after eating went back to their place to hang with Oscar and David (when he got home from his night out with his friend). We played pinball on the Xbox and I went to bed around midnight.

That's it for now. Will get Saturday and Sunday written about later...

deviation

It's okay to allow yourself NOT to do something. Before I came down here to visit my sister (yes, I've got one more day and I leave tonight), anyway, before I came down here we had all kinds of plans. We are planning girls. We get this from our mother. Yesterday we were walking around the Promanad and feeling a bit out of it and not really feeling like yoga, rather I was feeling like something to eat and you just don't do yoga with food in your stomach...oh the inversions...We made the grand choice of NOT going to yoga. Julianne chose the words "blow off" I chose "we consciously made the choice not to go and that is fine." Yeah, we pretty much blew it off.

I've been having a blast. Right when I landed we made the decision to go to the Trina Turk outlet...droooool. I found an amazing, make me feel like a million bucks, pair of black pants for...$20!!! They would have been around $125-140 regular retail. I also found an amazing brown and white striped 3/4 sleeved shirt. Hard to describe, fabulous to wear!

We did go eat sushi last night at their favorite place, which yes, you can walk to. We walked in and everyone working knew Julianne and made a big deal asking, "Where's David? Is he joining you?" Since David's weekend plans were all kinds of fouled up he's been kind of out of it and not wanting to elbow into our weekend. I have already told him that him being here is an extra perk for me because it's been 2 years since I saw him last and honestly, between you, me and the lamp post, I adore him. He's such a great person and is the perfect balance for my sister.

Okay, going to go make a fresh pot of coffee and scratch on Oscar (yeah, there will be a post about him in the near future...pictures and all...just pray that right now, this very second as I publish....too late, he just farted). Mmmmm, dog farts (save me, I'm dying).

girls weekend?

Well, I just got an email from my sister (I assume she wrote it last night) saying that her boyfriend, David, will not be going to Austin, Texas for the Austin City Limits music festival. From what she told me FEMA has taken control of the hotels in Austin to evacuate people from Houston to them. Hence, David is staying home and girls weekend has become a weekend for me to go visit my sister and her boyfriend. She has said the only things that will change is he will be joining us for meals. This, I like. He is such a great person and I'm glad to get to spend time with him. It's been way too long since I've gotten to see him. Not that a weekend soley with my sister wouldn't have been enjoyed, but it will be nice to get to see David too.

However, it also means I either get the sofa or the aerobed. Not sure about which one to take...

i feel a list coming on...

I am almost completely packed. I have washed a few things that will be thrown into my bag tomorrow night. I'm ready to go! I have a few loose ends to tie up at work tomorrow and then I'm ready for my weekend in LA to begin.

Josie keeps giving me her big sad eyes and Simon has begun investigating my duffel bag. Chloe is the only one who is giving me the time of day this evening. Kev gave me crap about taking the duffel bag instead of the wheeled carry on, but honestly, I don't need that much room! I'm not going for a week...what that man was thinking, I'll never know.

I just have to load up some music onto my MP3 player (although I'm going to see if Kev can show me how to compress it more so I can have more music on the thing...as it is in MP3 form, I can only get about 2 cds worth and that just ain't going to cut it). I have to have Kev unload some small videos he shot while out with his buddies...maybe while at Ween, I'm not sure though. The camera is charged and ready to go though. Tomorrow I will charge my phone overnight so it'll be ready too. Then I just have to pack the toiletries.

Can you tell I'm getting a bit excited? Perhaps, just a wee bit? I guess I should probably pick up some cash too tomorrow. The things to remember. Where's some paper, I'm feeling the need to make a list.

uh...yeah

How odd is it that I have found out that Jeremy and his wife were wed on my birthday? I haven't shared this information with him...some things are better left unsaid. Still, interesting.

let me tell you of the joys of picking your nose!

Do you know how much fun it is for me to entertain? I got to make stuffed mushrooms (with goat cheese, spinach, onion, bacon) as well as little ruebens on sticks (pastrami and lettuce wrapped around a bread stick and dipped in a kraut dip). I made salsa (easy easy easy and really flipping good!). We played a game. It was just fun.

The game of Quelf is silly. At least that was what the word scramble Linsel was working on told him. We laughed until we cried, again. Kev and I and our friends Shannon and Kiley have all played the game before. So we introduced it to Linsel, Amanda and Dugan. Seven of us got silly, made fools of ourselves, had things pinned to our clothing, did dances, had to snort like a pig anytime we laughed, had to stand up anytime anyone of us stood up, tried to motivate others to pick their noses... (and really, that's not all, but you'll just have to play to find out how it ends). Not a game for everyone, but everyone here last night...had a ball.

And now, I must go to work for three days before getting ready to head on my weekend to LA!!!!!!!! I can hardly wait to see my sister. We have manicures all ready set up. We will be going to the dog park with Oscar (whom I will get a virtual ton of pictures of because he's that damn cute). We will be going to yoga. We will eat. We will spend time together, just us girls. Sigh...

it's t-a-t-t-o-o right?

The air has that Fall time chill to it in the mornings. I wake up and I just want to snuggle further down in my bed, with my fat orange cat crawling across me trying desperately to nudge me into the world of the living. There is no use, he is heavy and my head...not meant to be a cat perch.

Everyone goes crazy, I'm up! Big dog, runs over and tries to eat my hand. I can't tell if she's just that excited or she's that hungry. I fed her last night so it can't be the latter. I think she's just that excited to see me? Wow, really?

The small cat (can you call a cat who is 11 lbs small...I mean, she's not huge by any means, especially when you compare her to lard ass) she sits and waits for the other two to do her bidding for her. She chirps next to her bowl as I enter the room. All sweet and demure. Yes, I just said my cat was being demure.

Now I've been up for about an hour, I've consumed much of my first latte of the day while chatting and shopping online with a friend. She's getting ready to move to Florida and needs a more professional wardrobe for interviews. So, we've both logged into Target.com and have been picking out fabulous new things. All for her! It's so much fun...while we chat on yahoo instant message.

I'm not sure what we are doing today or where we are going, other than I am meeting with Naomi, a tattoo artist whose work I've admired for a while now. I had hoped to run into her after she'd bought clogs from me...three years ago?!?! So on Friday when walking back to the store after the bank who should I see (and accost) NAOMI! It went something like this:

your name is naomi, right?

yes...

i've seen your work on shawna?

yes...

i've been wanting to run into you ever since you bought clogs from me three years ago because i have never been happy with my tattoo and i wanted to get your opinion.

okay, can i see it now?

(i show her my ankle)

let's go into your work so i can give you my number...i see a floral vine pattern in blacks and greys.

cool, i was kind of thinking vines as well.

So I called her while walking around the dog park with the Nose yesterday and have an appointment with her today. She said she'd work with me on the $$ aspect because I always feel like there are better things to spend my money on...HOWEVER my reasoning behind wanting to do something now is that I've never been proud of the ink I have on me. When someone says, "Cool tattoo" I never just say thanks. Instead I go on and on about how crappy it was done... I want to be proud. I want to enjoy the work that is done. If I tried to get it removed I'd have horrible scaring (or is it scarring...blogger spell check thinks it's one R, but it doesn't seem right) because of how deep the idiot did it. So, I'd rather cover it up with something from Naomi. I'll keep you all posted (I'm sure my folks are thrilled...).

first try

Someone should pay me to be a sleuth! Remember the post about looking for the former boyfriend from a gazillion years ago....Jeremy? FOUND HIM! First try.

I got an email today and everyone is fine, safe, sound. Their homes, not all so lucky. I'm just glad that they are all safe. I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that I actually found him after so long. I'm grateful that he wrote back!

He told me if I wanted their email addresses or the addresses of where they are all staying to reply. I replied. I also told him that I'd love to stay in contact, if it wouldn't freak out his wife (I assumed that he got married simply by the email address). I hope he wants to email. It'd be fun to stay in touch. I called and told Kev that he'd sent me an email and he was happy to hear that his family was safe.

I love Kevin. He's such an amazing and supportive husband to me and my wild hairs! :)

it's linktastic!

It's a weird thing, the internet. A little more than a year ago, I had no idea that a woman named Reagan in Ohio would become my friend. Had I not read the blog of one Dooce (mentioned to me by my friend Kerri) I'd have not found Jen in KC. Without finding her hilarious words Bekah would not be in my life. And I have no remembrance of how I found Mir. I just think it's an amazing thing that the internet helped me find these women, their words, their friendship (note, I am not friends, per se, with Mir or Dooce, but do read their blogs faithfully. I do, however, consider Jen and Bek friends...and Reagan, she's got no blog, she's just from some crazy ass dog group I had joined a long time ago.)

I thank these ladies for their words and stories. They all keep me in stitches on a regular basis.

(i think it is HILARIOUS that blogger's dictionary doesn't understand the word blog and always tries to get me to change it when i spell check)

a test of random.

The summer after my freshman year at college my sister and I both were living back at Mom and Dad's. We had such a great summer that year. We were silly, staying up, making goofy videos for random people (no, not those types of videos you perv!), and when we couldn't fall asleep in our respective rooms I'd go into her room, climb into the other twin bed and we would play word association. We even video taped ourselves playing word association for the random person who was the recipient of the said goofy video (yeah, and you are thinking, lucky friend). I think we'd both laugh hysterically (and be horribly embarrassed) if that video were shown to us now (not sure if my friend still has it...I should ask him).

So, here we go. I am going to list words. You are going to write what these words make you think of first. Please, keep it clean...although if the first thing that comes to mind is dirty, then you are a sick person and stop playing this instant! :) LOL Just kidding.

The list will be words that I think of with each word I list so the 1st will be random, each after will be what the word prior makes come to mind. Are you ready?

burp
josie
squeak
mouse
house
paint
done

coolest dork in school

Man, I feel like I'm the coolest girl in school. There's this blog, the writer is this really pretty girl named Mir, and I adore it (heck I adore her, and her kids make me happy too!)! It makes me laugh everyday. I sometimes will comment, but mainly I read her words and giggle and think, "man, she really should speak to someone in the publishing world because she's got IT." Anyway, back to why I feel the coolest...

Today I posted a comment (prior to any real amount of caffeine and it ended up not really making any sense AND it posted something like three thousand times, okay three) MIR WROTE ME BACK! I could hardly believe it. I went to my bulk folder, I guess yahoo thought she was spam (fixed that immediately, not like I think she and I will become the best of friends and email each other on a daily basis, but still...). I saw there was something from her! Read it and realized I am an idiot. Must make sure I have consumed my entire latte before posting any comments ANYWHERE!!! I emailed her back. I'm such a dork.

nothing interesting unless you are family... :)

Mmmmm, Monday! We got up and out of the house by 9 this morning. It was nice and cool for our hike today. Not too many people out either. The air was crisp and inviting. With each breath we would smell the world around us and wonder how it is people can treat it as though it is disposable. We would take a breath, crisp, cool. Walk a bit further along the trail, leaves, fall. Josie was in heaven and very well behaved. She came back each time we called her back and was just good. I can't believe how much I love that dog. She's been pretty zonked all day since we came back.

We ran errands after we got cleaned up and spoke with Mamasita in Texas (it was her birthday today). We went to Best Buy because Kev thought they were having some blow out sale on their video games (he was sad when they said they weren't). We then went to lunch at Old Chicago and shared a sandwich and both ordered side salads. We went to Pier 1 and got some really nice orange napkins, a really cool trivet and some tea lights for a lantern we have in the bathroom. Afterwards we headed to CostCo where we picked up a great pork tenderloin that was marinated in onion and garlic. Chuck came over and we watched a tv show we had dvr'd (yeah, the poor mans version of tivo). It's been a lovely day all around. I'm just sad that it is now 9 at night and work will be resurfacing its head tomorrow. Although we are having our friend Jenn over for dinner (sadly Dugan, her husband, is working and can't join us).

Speaking of that, better go find a recipe to make for dinner tomorrow night...has to involve green beans since we bought some at CostCo (yeah, that means we got a ton!!!)

success, kind of

Jill had much success yesterday. I, on the other hand, didn't have as much luck. I mean, I found another sports bra and I did find one bra that is amazing, but that was it. My mom suggested a website to find more, now that I know my true and current size. I'm a bit freaked out because the band size has gone down to an unprecedented 34! I won't tell you the rest though...

We are up and ready to go hiking a couple hours earlier than usual today. I am anxious to get going....so is Josie (if you can imagine).

(Kev just informed me that Gumby-the Nintendog- had fleas!!!)

with a giggle, a guffaw and a whole lot of gin

Tomorrow Jill and I will set out to do the one thing we women hate more than...well, I can't compare it to birth since I've never given birth. I can't really say hate more than life because life is really good these days...let's just say...

it. ain't. fun.

To shop for bras. Now, men will have no idea exactly how painful (not in the literal sense mind you guys, but emotionally, although sometimes I suppose it can be painful literally) this chore can truly be. I'm sure guys think, "Hell, they got sizes, you know your size...easy." No, not easy.

I've tried on bras that *ahem* certain areas weren't being filled out and in my mind I couldn't understand why (and you should have heard the fits of laughter Jill and I had THAT day!). I've tried on bras that are "my size" only to have myself spilling out from over the top. I've tried on bras that made me wept because they in fact fit like they should...and cost about the same amount as a compact car. The most I've ever spent on a single undergarment, brace yourselves, is $52.00. This was many years ago when we first moved here and I thought to myself, "self, you now live where the air is green, the trails are plentiful, and the out of doors beckons during the sunny days. You must get a...SPORTS BRA!!!" So I did. I got one that held the girls in place when I jumped (which is NO SMALL FEAT). I wore the damn thing maybe a half dozen times over the past 4.5 years. Just recently I pulled it back out and actually started giving it the life it was born to live. And man now I can say, best $52 I've spent!

Tomorrow, we head out on this most annoying of tasks yet again. Now that I'm all sporty I think I'd like to get another sports bra. For the sake that the one I have is great, but I'd like to have a couple so when we hike on Monday I don't have to race to get it washed by Wednesday for yoga. But it's not only the sports bra I seek. Since losing close to 25 lbs I've realized that the bras I have in my drawer are a bit tired, for lack of a better term. They're stretched out from the years *YEARS* of doing their job of defying gravity. Did you know that a woman's breast can weigh...oh hell, like I know the actual weight. But they can be heavy and elastic and spandex have a life span. And my bras are past their prime!

So wish us luck on this journey (I won't even tell you the demons Jill faces during these shopping excursions) know that we will be laughing heartily (perhaps because of the lemon drops we will most likely consume) and bras will be bought!!!

where's the poop?

Okay, so my friend Shannon and I have been trying to go out on walks with Josie on Thursday nights. The first time was a few weeks ago (and then life reared its head and got in the way). We went tonight FINALLY!

Josie is a pretty quick pooper. Normally we start our hikes and walks and BOOM she poops. Tonight was no different. I picked it up (in the baggie) and set it to the side of the trail we would be going back down. While walking up the trail Shannon and I were discussing where to leave the poop in order to see it on our way back down. A gentleman was walking down the trail as we were having the discussion. We assured him we'd pick up the baggie on the way down and he thanked us saying, "not everyone picks up the poop."

We walked for a little and turned around earlier than we would have liked because the park closed its gates at 8 and it was starting to get dark. So, we're traveling down the pathway and I call out "we need to keep an eye open for the poop!" Shannon was sure it was further down the trail, towards the end/beginning. I thought it'd be anytime soon...I even walked back up the trail a bit to make sure I didn't miss it. I asked a complete stranger (who probably think I'm completely strange) if they'd seen my baggie of dog poop. He said he hadn't, but that he hadn't been looking for it...

"WHERE IS THE POOP?"

"DO YOU SEE IT?"

"I DON'T SEE IT!"

"DID THAT MAN PICK UP THE POOP?!?!" (remember him, the one from the beginning of the walk whom we swore we'd pick up the poop to!?)

We never found the poop. I can only assume the man picked up the baggie and took care of it for us. Interesting thing is, this is the SECOND time it's happened on our walks!

So, what would prompt a complete stranger to pick up a baggie of dog poop? I am appreciative, but at the same time would rather have people leave my dogs poop alone so I don't have to second guess my sanity and poop spotting abilities.

almost forgot...

Question:

If a company offered you the free service of something like cleaning your shoes. When you get the shoes back from this perk would you complain that they "look horrible!" and make a big fuss? I didn't see the shoes when they first arrived before being sent to our extremely talented Mr. Lee, but they are light mauve nubuck and I can tell you now, they sure as shit aren't going to come back looking brand new (which I did tell her...after I said, "I really didn't see what they looked like when you dropped them off so I wouldn't know if they look any better.").

yelling? really?

Wow. I'm sitting here in the quiet of my store (okay, really bad radio is on) and all of a sudden I hear a woman yelling (can't hear her words, just the fact that she's not happy and the world needs to know). I look out at the parking lot in front of my store (really it's the street but at this time of night is a parking lot) and a woman in her maroon mini van is hanging out the driver's side window making wild gestures and yelling at the person ahead of her (who is also stopped by the same traffic light she and every other car on the street is). I didn't see what led to the yelling, but really? Yelling? Over something NOBODY has control over? Makes you think.

finally, my own thoughts on the topic at hand

During the wake of the hurricane I have done some thinking. I have realized that there are two people whom I have known who live in the areas hit most hard. I am now doing a search for the one person who knows them best, Jeremy Herrin.

Jeremy and I dated a million and a half years ago and I believe he's now married and living in Pensacola, Florida. His cousin Brad lived in New Orleans and his aunt Nancy (Brad's mom) lived in Hattiesburg, MS. I've done a search, found an address for Jeremy, but have come up empty in my searches for Brad and Nancy. I am holding out hope that the address I have found online actually is still valid and he gets back in contact with me with good news.

I read a post from my dear friend Amanda and the article she linked to from an October 2004 article in National Geographic. It was amazing to me.

When I think about all that has happened the one thought my brain keeps coming back to is that we humans never really think it's going to happen. Big storms that take out entire areas and communities. Eruptions that do the same. Etc. Yet, when they do, because they do, we are always surprised by these events. Scientists warn us that the potential for great destruction is there...but we don't do anything about it. We go through life with blinders on, not really wanting to admit that we are small beings in this place that is soooooo much larger than we are. We are quick to point fingers when the current administration is slow to respond (and yes, it annoyed the hell out of me that it took as long as it did to get these people the help they so desperately needed, it was abominable.). We are also quick to join together as one large community to help as best we can.

Let us remember that WE ARE SMALL and Mother Nature, sometimes has other things on her mind. We are not the end all be all, but a cog in this world. We can be the destruction of this planet OR we can help her thrive and continue on. Please, recycle. Use your cars less. Treat the earth as though she is precious, because psssst SHE IS!!!

i'm blue!

Your Blog Should Be Blue

Your blog is a peaceful, calming force in the blogosphere. You tend to avoid conflict - you're more likely to share than rant. From your social causes to cute pet photos, your life is a (mostly) open book.

What Color Should Your Blog or Journal Be?

I visited one of my favorite bloggers (Plaza Jen) and figured I'd follow her to Scorpy's site to see what this quiz was all about...

I think it makes sense.

the crazy extra long weekend that really wasn't any longer than usual...

Even though this weekend was no longer for me than normal (I have Sundays and Mondays off and in the world of retail you are OPEN Labor day anyway)...anyway, even though it wasn't any longer it felt longer and that is what is important. It's what you do with your weekend that makes it what it is.

I used to be content with sitting around on my couch and watching really bad tv while Kev was playing on the computer. NOT. ANY. MORE.

So a quick recap of our weekend.

Saturday: Got together with our new friends Jenn and Dugan. Kev picked me up from work and we ran into Wild Oats (which is right down the street from them a couple of blocks) to get wine and beer. There had been a discussion of bread, as in do we buy any. It was decided that since there was rice being served with dinner that no, bread was not needed. We jump back in the car (the store was on the way to their house, otherwise we would have parked at their house and walked over) and drove the two blocks to their house. This was the first time Kev was meeting Jenn and Dugan (I've known her for four years because I sell her shoes). I've met Dugan at the store before, but it's been a while since Jenn has dragged him in with her. The boys got along famously! They played their Nintendo DS machines together...I guess the things have some type of infared technology so they can interact with each other. One of Dugan's other friends came by and the three of them were playing together. Kev had a blast! I did too, Jenn and I get along so well and it's just fun to spend time with her. We didn't leave their house until 1:00 in the morning!!! Holy Hell!

Sunday: I got up with the wild hair to paint. Actually my plan had been to get the room ready to paint on Monday, but on the way home Saturday night (aka Sunday morning) Kev informed me that we had plans with other friends on Monday...m'kay. So, painting on Sunday is what it turned into. You've all seen the photos, and if not, scroll down a bit...it's the blue room with the beautiful cat sitting in it. Kev got up, came into the cave, turned on football and promptly fell asleep on the sofa until he had to get up to go to work.

Monday: We got up, cleaned the hell out of the house, had Brandon and Jessica over before heading to Dots for lunch. They'd never been and were glad we took them there. At one point Jess said, "This is why I love coming into the city to have lunch with you two, you always take us to new and interesting places." I LOVE DOTS! It's the type of place you can go and lose track of time in. With their velvet wallpaper and the paintings of the big eye dog and big eye cat...sigh. After lunch we came back to the house, chatted a bit before they took off for home. Kev and I decided that since Josie was about to jump out of her skin we'd take her on a bike ride/run. It was so sweet to watch Josie and Kev work together. He kept an eye on her and she on him. We listened to her and turned around to come home. She slept the entire rest of the day. I took a short nap and then woke to Kev watching Anchorman. OMG! I'm glad I got to see what I did!!! We ran to the store and got fixings for chicken burritos and just had a nice evening together.

Here we are Tuesday morning. Kev's still sleeping (lucky him, it's his day off) and I'm working on my latte....the bus will be here in about 40 minutes so I should really get off this machine and get my lunch going (wait, I made myself lunch last night....sweet!!!). Well, either way, I'm out!

it's a gift

Plaza Jen is not the only person to question my ability to paint an entire room and have it back together (I almost wrote normal...ha!) the same day. All I can say, really, is....it's a gift.

When we first moved to Portland FIVE years ago we unloaded the big Ryder truck and I immediately started putting things away and organizing. One week (or was it two?) later we had friends drive down from Seattle. Megan walked in and said, "It looks like you have lived here forever! Where are the boxes, we really expected boxes." I laughed because I really wouldn't have been comfortable had there actually been boxes still laying around.

I think that is what spurs me into getting things done quickly. I am uncomfortable when my life is surrounded by chaos (that is what clutter is to me) and so I have to rectify that. However, there are times when I get lulled into a sense of "does it really matter in the grand scheme of things if Kev's socks are still sitting on the coffee table?" and I allow myself glimpses into slobdome. I much prefer to have a clean house that is always picked up and ready for friends to drop by at any time, but I live in the real world and have three animals who drop fur like mad. I enjoy my life and picking up after them and Kev, not fun(although I must say that the hair laying around from our trio, doesn't bother me as much as the mail from the past week sitting, waiting to be recycled).

After painting a room though, things will be put back quickly. Things will be cleaned. The room will never NEVER look like that again! :)

blue!

I decided to go for it. You can see that Chloe looks amazing in the new room. It actually looks a bit more teal than it really is in person in the photo. I LOVE IT! Kev's not seen it since I've finished. I decided to hang the new faux wood blinds too. I just couldn't make myself hang up the old, slightly ratty sheers again. I really am pretty proud of myself for just doing it today. I realize that I sometimes work better if I don't have a preconceived plan. Well, I have had to load and reload each photo a thousand times, or pert near. So, I'm out! Where's my beer?!?

my fingers, are prunes

We'd gone to Cost Co some weeks ago (we go just about every week, but that's neither here nor there) and purchased a very cool bathroom faucet. When we bought the house a couple of years ago the couple who owned it previously had done some very nice renovations to the bathroom, but we have never really been all that enamored with the faucet. While perusing the aisles of Cost Co we stumbled across this really cool, modern, brushed nickel faucet. We figured since the box said "easy to install" it would be. Well, I never got the chance to really see because the old one, NOT easy to uninstall. I lacked the proper tools to get the hot and cold levers (whatever you call the things that when you turn the water comes on) out. So, imagine if you will, me sitting on the floor with various parts strewn about from the faucet, fighting with a calico cat who is determined to drink the water that I'd collected in a pan as it dripped out of the hoses, while trying not to scream bloody murder because I lack the space to really get in there and DO. I've gotten about 85% of the thing taken apart when I realize I can go no further. GRRRR. So I back track and put the damn thing back together with the old fixtures. In the grand scheme of things, we (read I) have decided to leave the old fixture because we're only going to be here maybe another 3 years and since we've lived with it for the last 2 years I'm confident we can make it through the next 3 with a fixture that leaves me feeling a bit "meh".

Now I am sitting here, pondering how I'm going to get a certain someone enthused about getting off the couch and helping me prepare the bedroom for paint...I'm thinking it's not going to happen since that certain someone is asleep.

joy

yeah...

what he said...

my parents

Every one of my friends who have met my folks tell me how lucky I am. I am beginning to wonder if they think I don't know that... :)

When I was a kid and did something stupid (of course something all kids did) instead of coming down hard on me and spanking me (which was the thing to do in the 70's and early 80's) my dad would look at me with the look of disappointment on his face and simply say, "consider yourself yelled at." Man, nothing was worse for me than to see that look and hear those words. They hit harder than any switch, belt, open hand... And I would think, "man, Dad is disappointed in me...this sucks."

They worked in tandem. Perfectly with each other. Neither one undermining the others authority over my sister and myself. If Mom said no to something Dad was right in line. It got to the point where I didn't need to even go bug the other once that answer was given because I knew it would be the same. Looking back to the kid I was, it was hard. Looking at the person I have become, I understand.

I've always felt a kind of kinship with my Dad. Maybe it is the fact that his birthday is the day before mine, so we got to share that special time. Maybe it is that we are sooooo much alike (which growing up I didn't see but now am blinded by the fact that I truly am, My. Father's. Daughter.). Mom always used to get embarrassed when the three of us would go shopping. I can remember going to the mall and being bored, but at the same time intrigued by being silly and not really caring what other people around me thought. Mom has since gotten in on the act with us, although sadly we don't live close enough to be able to put on the show together all that often.

I am thankful to the two of them for allowing me the opportunity to become who I am today. Their influences played a huge part.

If you are looking for something else to read, go read my father's words. He is an amazing person, always upbeat, always supportive. He has recently decided to share his ideas and thoughts with the world. He has his blog, aptly titled Things I Have Stumbled Across Along the Way. If you choose to, read his words...

got 'em!

I got my shoes today. You remember the ones, the Merrells I pictured a few days ago? They are sooooo damn comfortable! They will be perfect for my trip. And now, my trip shopping is complete.

When Val, my UPS driver, walked in I almost gave her a hug and a kiss. She's pretty darn cute so... :) She laughed, handed me the box and told me I better open them to show her since I was so excited. She, and the customer I was helping when they arrived, liked them.

YEA!

the joy of friends

So after feeling like a drowned rat I began feeling achey and kind of fuzzy in my brain. I was chatting with my dear friend Amanda who told me to get some "emer'gen-C" in me soon. I told her I didn't have any and didn't know where to pick some up downtown.

Moments ago I am on the phone with a very excited customer. I am having to feign excitement myself...hard to do when feeling as I am. I look up and see my dear Amanda parking her car in front of my store. She walks in briskly and hands me two packets of, you guessed it, Emrg'en-C! I'm at a loss for words...

Friends like her come into your life and if you are lucky, you realize it and you hold onto them! I've realized it for sure!!! She's an amazing woman whom I feel lucky to have gotten to meet.

three drowned rats

Well, yesterday was Monday, aka Hikeday. We knew that we would be seeing some rain, or at least drizzle, so we left the camera at home. Don't want to destroy our favorite toy!

We get to Angel's Rest (it's the 1500' gain in elevation, 5 miles round trip loop we take) and start up...it starts to rain. We hang out under the trees for a while with the thought it would stop soon. A few minutes later it did and we pressed on. It drizzled off and on for the entire hike. We got almost to the top and decided that we were going to turn around, I know, why turn around when almost there? I was hungry, had to pee, Kev was done too. Plus we'd been to the top of Angel's Rest a dozen times and didn't fancy getting stuck up there if it possibly rained again.

On our way down we spoke of Gumby (Kevin's...ahem...Nitendog), who we'd left at home. She's really too small yet to enjoy the hikes...LOL

We were very close to the end when the sky opened up and took a large dump on our heads. Prior to leaving the house I told Kev to grab himself a dry tee shirt. I had a jacket on and it kept my tank rather dry. He was glad we had thought to bring it along. We were soaked through just about. Josie ran to the car, the button to unlock the car on Kev's key chain was not working all that well and instead of unlocking the door with the key and clicking the button inside, he kept jamming on the key chain button. Joy. Finally, it worked and he flung open Josie's door. Josie, pack and all, jumped into the car and shook. I ran around to the passenger side and jumped in myself, thoroughly wet. The tank did stay somewhat dry, but my yoga pants didn't fare so well. :)

Needless to say, we had a blast!!! The temperature was perfect and even the drizzle (before the sky opened up) felt great on our hike down. Josie had a blast and is now sacked out on the rug in the living room.

We have just returned from having a late lunch and I'm already in my pj's. No going anywhere tonight for me!!! I might just turn off my phone too...nah... :)

Can we say in bed by 9:00?

why i like blogger

I recently got an email from Blog-city...you all may remember the other blog I had kept up. I had made the switch a while ago because at the time Blogger hadn't had the option of inserting pictures into ones blog. Anyway, I digress...

Back to the email. It said that because I hadn't written any posts (it had been one month) they would be deleting my blog (which you can all see they really haven't). I decided I really didn't care if they got rid of it because I can do everything I want and more here at Blogger. However, you will notice in my posts from the past there was a long time where I didn't post here at my original Blogger blog. Did they send me an email saying they were going to cancel and delete me?!? NOOOooooo.

So thank you Blogger people. Now, could you do one more thing for me...could you make it so more than one reader can get the email alert that I've updated. It seems as though my family would like to be able to see when I've written an entry without having to remember to check in on their own.

phoenix

Kerri and Adrianne,

I am sad to say we really don't have anything in the works about Phoenix as of this date. We do have many friends and family members who live in that area now and would like to get there to visit you all at some point, but we really have no clue when that is going to be. Trust me, if we are coming, you two will be some of the first people to know! :)

As for trips we do have two coming up. Well, I have one and Kevin has one.

In September I am heading down to L.A. to visit Julianne. She emailed asking if she sent me a ticket would I come visit while her boyfriend is out of town. I said YES! The 23-25th I'll be living it up, playing with Oscar (the dog), doing as much yoga as possible, possibly even going to a spin class, and just spending time with Julianne.

In November Kev is heading to Kansas. It seems as though WEEN is playing in Lawrence at "the Granada, which is the first place Russ and I saw them...I have to go." So he will be heading out that last Monday of November, going to the show that night, crashing at Russ's house, getting up and following the band to Omaha, watching the show there with Russ, crashing somewhere in NE and then back to Russ's on Wednesday. He'll be back here on Thursday. I seriously doubt he's going to do much more than drink a lot of beer, play a lot of Stree Fighter, and just hang out with his best friend. He really misses Russ (as I'm sure Russ misses him) so this is going to be a wonderful trip for the two of them.

That's it for the trips we have planned though. After a certain time of the year, I don't/can't travel because of working retail. We have unofficial blackout dates when I have to be at the store.

But trust me, if we are heading to a town where we have friends or family, we'll let you know. :)

Love you,

Shannon

man....

Jennifer tagged me to write my top five idiosyncrasies...shit, did I spell that right?

Okay, so here they are in no particular order.

1. I really truly love the way new shower curtains smell. I blame Jill really. I hadn't even given them a second thought until we lived together and got one. She just stood in the bathroom sniffing. I asked her what she was doing and she told me...I then could be found in the bathroom with her. Showers, for that first week, took forever.

2. I set out my outfit for the next day, every night. I sometimes even put what jewelry I am going to wear with it. I try to arrange it so that the first item I put on is on top and the last on bottom. So, from top to bottom today's outfit was laid out like this:

underwear
bra
jeans
tank top
tee shirt

3. For breakfast every morning (just about) I have either two pieces of toast or a bagel. On one piece I will smear a bit of peanut butter and on the other I melt a piece of colby cheese. I must eat the peanut butter piece first. I finish it up with the latte. I never start drinking the latte until I am done with the toast/bagel.

4. I can not leave zits, bumps, scabs...etc alone. When my dear husband gets one (zit) on his face...everything. in. my. power. to not reach over and mess with it. I will say to him, "you know, that thing is ripe for the popping" and he just tells me "NO!" I have something on my chin that is just driving me crazy today. Must. resist. urge. to. pick.

5. I can't help but take photos of myself when I am having a damn good hair day. I feel I have perfected the art of the flattering self portrait. I...well, you tell me...


And now to see who my next "victims" will be...

Tanya, Amanda, Dad if any of you are up for it. :)

sorry kids

Well, because of the latest round of comment spammers I have taken a step to try to keep them from continuing. I am sorry to have to make you take the extra step if you want to comment, but I'm sick of the spam in my comments.

how cute are these?

visage
Originally uploaded by chlortence.

I decided that I really didn't fancy dragging my heavy and dirty and big trainers down to L.A. with me next month so when I was visiting with my Merrell dealer on Tuesday I had her show me these. I couldn't resist...

I think they are going to be the perfect shoe for going to the gym to possibly go to a spinning class as well as the dog park and the bike rides and ...

They'll be here on Wednesday next week.

yoga arms return

Wow, my shoulders are feeling it today. So many Chaturangas into Up Dog...all because Jill kept muttering the word under her breath. :) Nah, not really. But still, we did this during every sun sallutation we did on Wednesday.

Last night I did a whole lot of nothing. I chatting with Reagan. I chatted with my sister. I chatted with Reagan again.

Josie and I will go on a nice walk tonight. Kev got home and asked if we did anything. I could instantly feel his disappointment when I told him we hadn't. I was still reeling from the 2.7 miles Jill and I had walked the night before. I mapquested it last night with Reagan. She was all, "you did that AFTER yoga?!?" :) We kind of had to really. I mean I suppose we could have called Mark to come get us, but we were already walking...

Okay, this is a random entry and if I had files, I'd file it there...

peace out.

zen of the mosquito

Jill and I arrive to Diana's (actually Jill got there first since I had these two wishy washy customers who couldn't make up their minds...mother and daughter and the daughter looked B.O.R.E.D.) So I arrive and they are waiting for me. I shake off the feelings I was still harboring from the women and proceeded to change.

Lawrence, Diana's boyfriend, joined us. The four of us walk up to Mt. Tabor where we found a nice grassy area to practice. The breeze is nice, the sun is setting, and the mostquitos have come out to feast. There is something to be said about the practice of yoga outside with the intermitent sounds of *slap* *whack* and *arg!* At one point Lawrence decided he needed to really make his point and called Diana over to look at the seven, yes count them SEVEN, mosquitos having a fiesta on his leg while we were in extended side angle, going up to half moon. We all decided together to walk back to their house and finish up with some inversions...ie head and hand stands.

Our butts were kicked. But not just by the practice. Afterwards Kevin was planning on picking us up, however we all decided that no dinner and Jill and I would just take the bus to her house and Kev would pick me up there. Diana and Lawrence had some things to work through, and since we didn't want to inconvenience them the bus was it. We caught the first bus, no problem. The second bus...well, problem. It seemed as though we had just missed it according to the random movements and shoutings going on across the street (a woman was making a motion as though the bus had just come and gone). We decided to walk the bus route in hopes of catching it along the way. We never did catch that bus...

50 some odd blocks later, we arrive at Jill's. Today...I am pooped and happy my friend Shannon has had to back out of our Thursday night walk/hikes. I have already informed Josie our walk this evening would depend on how Mamma was feeling but she shouldn't count on it. :)

it's about time

hall2
Originally uploaded by chlortence.

So last night Kev got home. I had arranged myself on the sofa in a similar position to the one I was in prior to him leaving for work. He fell for it and thought I hadn't gotten off my duff all night. He made some snarky comment and proceeded to walk down the hallway and into the kitchen for a beer.

I got up after he hadn't said anything for a little while and stood in the doorway of the kitchen that looks into the hall. I flipped on the light and just looked at him. He kept asking "what? what?" and then he saw just WHAT I was meaning. We laughed quite heartily.

He really likes it. He also thinks the bedroom needs to change colors now too. It's so similar to the hall, but the hall almost looks more pinky undertones and the bedroom has a grey/purple tinge to it. They DON'T look good together at all. Mom, got the color names and have gone to Ralph Lauren and Glidden to see them. Very pretty! Will have to go pick up some chips and see which ones look best in the bedroom. I'll let you know which color we choose.

glutton

After speaking with Mom this afternoon I got it into my head to go ahead and paint the hallway today. Some may remember the saga, for those of you who do not (and because it was all written at a different blog site which has been deleted) I will give you a brief recap.

We painted our front room red: We loved the idea of a warm and inviting living room. We LOVE the red room. The red is the perfect red and from what Jill says red is the hardest color to choose and get right the first try. Some come out to pink, others too orange. The one we chose is the perfect blue red with a hint of orange in all the right spots.

After going dramatic in the living room we decided to go equally dramatic in our kitchen and painted it a burnt sienna.




We love this color as well. It is lively and invigorating and makes us plain happy every time we walk into the kitchen.

My original thought for the hall was to go with a deep mustard, almost Moroccan in feel. I went to the store, got the chips, came home and picked the one we both felt would work. I painted the hallway while Kev and our friend Bob who was in town for work played video games. I hated it instantly! It looked primary yellow against the red and made our once "grown up" living room feel like we were in a Kindercare. Not going for that feeling we decided to paint out the hall white as we painted the bathroom.

While we like the bathroom being white the hall, no, not so much. When my parents were here this Spring we dragged them (kicking and screaming of course) to the Deep Hole to pick out colors for the hall. We found a wonderful color called Parchment by Ralph Lauren. It has say since May at the end of the hall, waiting to be put on the walls.

Today, was the day. I've only gotten the first coat up and NO, I have no pictures yet (nor do I have photographic evidence of the yellow...and Bob, Kevin and myself are the only living souls who have ever seen it). I will be finishing up here in about an hour, must let the first coat have a chance to dry.

Mom, BEST COLOR EVER!!!! We will be painting all the trim a stark white and it is going to be sooooooo wonderful!!! I'm thinking, however, the bedroom color needs to be changed. You want to bop over to the Deep Hole and find pretty blue chips for me Mom? :)

I guess that ended up being a big of a "waffle" as my South African friend would say. Oops...

triple 12 oz me baby

I went for it. I couldn't resist. It would have been futile for me to even try. The triple 12 oz latte, she tastes good. Everyone has given me sympathy and all I want is to feel like I slept for a good 10 hours. :) No, I do appreciate the sympathy.

On my way to the bus I stopped and chatted with the teenager who lives next door to us (in the opposite direction of the crazy people). I asked if she'd heard the commotion and she said that she had and she called the police. She was worried about the two little girls who live at the crazy people's house. I was pretty impressed that she would call the cops. I mean, most teens, don't want to "get involved" in things that don't directly effect them...perhaps a really bad generalization, perhaps not.

I told her I'd called as well. I'm glad she's my neighbor.

i'm am not even kidding

Last night we had a bit of excitement around the neighborhood (give you a guess at which neighbors). At about 11:00 the house across the street (where the two had been in front of yelling at each other [whom I'd assumed were yelling at my next door neighbor but now am thinking differently]), anyway a man and a woman started just screaming at each other. She was so loud but we couldn't really make out any of what they were screaming about. It stopped after a little, but I was this close to calling the cops.

But wait, the saga continues!

At 1:00 they started up again. This time there was a loud bang (not a gun shot, but possible someone being slammed up against something) as well as her saying "just leave me alone." This time, I called. I am through with that shit. These are the people we've been nice to and allowed them to borrow our lawnmower because it's the neighborly thing to do. It stopped last night.

I allowed myself to get freaked out because the cops rolled up (two cars, three dudes) and came to our house to ask which house it was. You can't see our front stoop from anywhere but the window in their garage (which Kev and I'd seen a light on just moments before the cops showed up). So with my wild imagination I had concocted this whole scenario where they saw me motion towards their house and they come to retaliate. I didn't sleep for shit last night. I am sooooo damn tired right now I think I may have to opt for MANY coffees today. At least at 3 I have a coworker coming in (not the flake, she called this week to ask if she could NOT work the last two Saturdays because her boyfriend...yadda yadda yadda. I told her that was fine). But there is a girl coming from our outlet who will be working downtown once a week. I just hope she can make it, she didn't call which was what she was supposed to do yesterday if she couldn't rearrange her schedule.

Okay, I ramble now. I need to shower, eat and consume MUCH coffee.

the simpsons....

I had a cat named Snowball...
She died!She died!
Mom said she was sleeping...
She lied!She lied!
Why oh why is my cat dead?
Couldn't that Chrysler hit me instead?

Lisa, the smartest Simpson of the family, always names her cats Snowball...not sure why, but she is now on Snowball II...or maybe three?

One of my favorite Simpsons moments...I just had Reagan send me an email telling me her phone died while we were chatting (yeah, cuz her not being on the other line was a little difficult for me to detect...LOL). The subject of the email was "it died" and this poem came to mind.

Is it bad that so many moments of my life have links to random Simpsons quotes?

the people we know

We bring certain people into our lives when we need them. We may not realize at the time of our meeting that we do, in fact, need them, but soon realize that that need is there.

One of my closest friends, I've never met. Her name is Reagan. She is my rock when I need someone to lean on and an ear to bend (a different ear than the ears I have here in town). She's amazing. She's whip smart. She's my friend. She's always there for me, and I for her. I've gotten calls in the middle of the night because a rogue possum has had the nerve to come into her garage and she needed someone to "talk her down" from her major freak out. She's gotten calls because I'm just need someone to talk to about things that are way bigger than I am and it freaks me out. And sometimes, she's on the phone with me while I'm finding those things...

We've never met in person but we are hoping to remedy that at some point in the close future.

memories...

Usually on Wednesdays Jill and I board the #15 bus and head over to Diana's for yoga. Today Diana is out of town so I will be going home to practice alone (unless I speak with Jill and we decide to get together). Although it will prove to be tricky with the 70 lb dog and the 18 lb cat trying to get into the act...

Anyway, at the end of the practice we go to a resting place called Savasana. As we lay there reflecting on our practice Diana will calmly talk our minds to a restful place as well. She starts at the feet and works her way up our bodies talking about relaxing and letting go of any tensions we still may feel. This takes me back to a time when I was little.

I couldn't sleep. I would be restless and sleepless. Dad would come in and do the "relaxation thing" to help me calm down and find peace in my mind. I realize now he was beginning me on my journey into the world of yoga. He would calmly speak of my breathing and slowing it down to a quiet place. The he would tell me to relax my feet, legs, etc...until I felt so calm and quiet that I honestly felt like I couldn't move a muscle. I'd try, but nothing would move. I'd finally drift off to sleep as Dad's voice would sooth me.

I still yearn for a recording of my Dad doing the "relaxation thing."

HB!

Growing up my Mom used to make hardboiled eggs every so often. So we wouldn't get confused and grab a non boiled one instead and make a mess she used to write "HB" on the ones she'd boiled. My sister and I would lovingly sing "HB!" every time we would open the fridge and see them sitting there looking at us. To this day I can't have a hardboiled egg without singing "HB!"

Lunch today consisted of...you guessed it...all together..."HB!!!" It reminded me that I used to HATE the hardened yolks, but now will suffer through them because I know that it is that part that is healthiest for you.

no hiking for us today

It is again a very hot day in the Pacific NW. We've gotten up, cleaned the hell out of the house and have decided it may not be a good day to take our black dog out on a hike. It was only supposed to get up to the mid 80s, but on our porch our Frogmometer reads 102. I don't think it's really that hot, but it's pretty damn hot again.

Kev's just finishing up the vacuuming and afterward I am going to suggest we grab a light bite to eat (once he's showered...). Chloe is off hiding somewhere, not the vacuums biggest fan. Simon has already gotten his butt vac'd (yes, he LOVES the vacuum). Josie, is camped out by my feet. She and Chloe think Simon is nuts-o for enjoying the vacuum (aka the beast).

I ran around with Jill and her mom, Kay, yesterday. We had such a nice time. We went down to the Woodburn outlet mall for a few hours (which proved to be a lucrative choice) before hitting the Nordstrom Rack at Clackamas (also, treated us all well). I think I may just have everything a girl could need for a trip down to LA to see her sister at the end of next month. I know, it's ridiculous how much thought I put into what I want to wear and take with me on these trips, but seriously I enjoy figuring it all out AND it helps me not over pack in the end. As it is, this trip I will be taking the most shoes ever and it's the shortest trip I'll have taken...

i'd have taken needy

The time is 5:59...I've got my keys in my hand, sunglasses on my head, I'm heading to lock up...the door flies open.

"We made it!"

I think to myself (yeah, made it with ONE FLIPPING MINUTE LEFT)..."yes, you did."

The two women proceed to keep me there until 6:45!!! Luckily Kev had come and picked me up so no long bus ride. They did apologize for keeping me there so late, but honestly, just leaving faster would have been nicer. I think I would have taken needy over that today. :)

Sorry, just in a shitty mood tonight. Although Kev and I did go to the Delta for dinner...oooooh, I hurt! BBQ pork po boy, dressed. I HURT!!!!!!

do you know?

Do you have any idea how annoying it is when you know you have had a conversation with someone and you are counting on them following through and coming into work only to have them not show up and deny having the original conversation in the first place? I know, Dad, separate realities...

thirteen times!

Okay, maybe it's not that bad, but it seems that lately when I get ready in the morning I change my outfit many, many times. I'm not trying to wear everything in my closet (which honestly, isn't all that much) in one day. Maybe I feel as though there is something lacking in there and I need to go shopping? Hmmm, I likes this idea. :)

Actually I am planning a day of running around with Jill and Kay tomorrow. We are going to meet early for breakfast (with groggy men in tow) and then the three of us are going to jump in my car and head for the hills...or the outlet mall, which really isn't anywhere near any hills.

Tops, I need tops. And bottoms, one can never have too many bottoms (the way that sounds...oooooweeee!). I'm perfectly happy with my shoe collection, kind of. However even if I wasn't, I'd have to only buy something from my store. If I can't wear it to work I try not to have it...yeah, right. LOL

Work will hopefully whiz by today. Yesterday it seemed as though time stood still. I think it's cuz I had tentative plans to meet Amanda out for a drink, which turned into a raincheck, which morphed into me stopping at Kiley and Shannon's house to meet their new kitten. He's really cute. Grey, white belly...big eyes and uber pink nose. Vladimir, the king cat of their house, didn't seem too bothered by the little beast. We will see how he is doing later today when I call to check in.

Okay, wish me quickness, wish me sanity, wish me NO NEEDY CUSTOMERS!!! :)

bekah flipping RAWKS

I've been battling how to list my friends blogs in my sidebar (as Bek has told me it is called)...Dad, let me get this under my belt a little before you have me help you figure it out for your blog.

Well, as you can see, under my profile is a list of peeps i adore!!!!

She's #1 on that list! :)

a'ight, i'm out...

my challenge to you

Do you find yourself thinking about things that you wish could have happened differently in your life? You know, playing the game of "what if"?

Do this, write what it is you miss, why you miss it and what you have learned from it.

Example:

I always ponder what life would have been like had I actually applied myself to playing the piano. What did I miss out on? Did I miss out on anything? What did I learn from being the sloth that I was about practicing? Did I only want to play because my big sister, whom I idolized, was playing? Was the desire to play because our mom played when she was our age?

I learned to enjoy music and enjoy doing things, even though playing music wasn't as enjoyable to me as it is for many others...yes, I do still envy friends who can pick up an instrument and just play, but then I remember there are things I can do better than they and the fact they can bring music into my life and I can live vicariously through their hands is fine enough by me.

*end*

So many people I know long for loves of the past. I suggest they take a look at why they loved this person, what happened to make the time with the person end and what did they learned from that particular individual. Did they learn to love with all their heart, making it possible to love the person they are with now more completely? Did they learn to trust again after they thought it was never possible? Did they learn that love is an amazing thing, when it is with the person they were "meant" to be with? It's a writing I've done...it's a healing thing. I suggest you try, if you have those ghosts...

a good read

Although I agree with my friend Kerri that Dooce is a good read, I am all kinds of about Mir!

Her post she titled Ghost Days is amazingly true! Everyone who ever had feelings of "what did I miss out on" whether it be about past relationships, past jobs, anything in the past will understand every single word she wrote....

top ten

Every so often I will be listening to a song and I can't help it but feel all kinds of emotions. Some songs give me goose bumps, others make me want to cry, and still others make me want to stand up and shake my booty like it's never been shaken before.

Here are my top ten (at this moment) songs that make me just plain old feel.

1. Video-India.Arie
2. Waltz #2-Elliot Smith
3. Say Hello, Wave Goodbye-David Gray
4. Dry the Rain-Beta Band
5. Fix You-Coldplay
6. Let Go-Frou Frou
7. New Slang-The Shins
8. Long Time Gone-Dixie Chicks
9. Seven Nation Army-The White Stripes
10. The Balrney Stone-Ween

man, had to open that can

I got a post from a member of my animal group asking if the group was interesting at all or ever had interesting conversations that she was bored and didn't anyone have a cat to chat about (among other rather rude and snotty 17 year old types of things). I sent her an email saying that if she felt the group wasn't to her liking there were several other groups online she could go join. She replied that she didn't know who I was to tell her to move on and that she was going to stay...yadda yadda yadda. Totally rude. Members emailed me asking who she was (when she joined a couple of months ago she never introduced herself to the group so when this email came through many had no clue who she was). I told them she was someone who apparentally felt that we were boring.

I booted her rude butt and then sent her an email telling her she needed to find some manners. I told her I did have the power to tell her to move on and I did have the power to see that she moved on. I know, I know someone will say "you should have done x, y and z" and explained and been more understanding, but honestly, I have no time for rude 17 year olds who think they can be disrespectful of the members of my list. It's ridiculous, I know, but still...it's not like Kev doesn't have his online nerds he "hangs" with at the Ween Forum!!!

it's damn hot

I think today is the hottest day of the summer here. Supposedly got up to 100. I just saw a girl walk past my store with argyle socks on her arms like sleeves (with the toes cut out for her hands....kind of like leg warmers for your arms). WHY?!?! IT'S HOT!!!