It's A Journey

Sophia Grace and Rosie!!

2012-02-17T19:46:00.000-08:00

Just smile!!

One Way?

2012-02-16T21:34:00.000-08:00

I was driving down Pike St in Seattle today - I had just crossed 5th Ave and was heading to the light at 6th Ave when a car turned off 6th onto Pike going the wrong direction!! WTH! This lady was heading right towards me - I honked my horn and she never even flinched - gave no indication that she even knew she was going the wrong way. I should have followed her into the parking garage she turned into so I could give her a piece of my mind - but I didn't think of it until I got to my usual garage. How does someone turn off of a one way street and not see the signs that say One Way with an arrow pointing in the other direction - not to mention seeing cars heading right at you - and not once step on your brakes. Crazy drivers!!

Chrissy just made me giggle - I heard a noise on the other side of the living room - I looked up and all I could see was her butt and a wagging tail - her head was buried in one of her toy boxes and she was digging around trying to get at a toy. She is such a toddler!! She has toys all over the living room but she still needs to pull out more! Crazy Crazy Pup!

OK - time for bed. Tomorrow is Friday!! Yay!!

De

Chemistry?

2012-02-15T22:37:00.000-08:00

Depression - this is how it works - one minute your down and the next everything is fine.

Nothing in my environment has changed - I'm still buried at work, my house is still a disaster, I'm still overwhelmed - but I can feel the change in my brain! I'm happy, energized, positive. Feel like I can accomplish something. It's times like these where I ride the wave and try to do as much as I can. I sometimes wonder if I might be a little Bi-Polar - I certainly have low lows and high highs. Although, when I'm on a high I don't go out and do destructive things, spend lots of money, or take risks.

I am so excited for L this week - her Dad is coming in on Friday to spend a long weekend with her. It's been just about 3 years since they've seen each other. She is so excited - I believe they are both going to stay at her Dad's parent's house - that way they can spend as much time together as possible. I told L that if it worked out maybe the 3 of us could have lunch or dinner together - she would like to have both her parents in the same room. It's been so long and I think L could benefit from seeing her parents be civil with each other. We shall see.

De

Good Day

2012-02-14T22:06:00.000-08:00

Today was a good day - felt like I accomplished somethings at work - went to dinner with a friend after work - got home to find my new Whoopie Pie Pan had been delivered!! I am so excited - can hardly wait to make my first batch of Whoopie Pies - if I had gotten home a little bit earlier tonight I would have made them - maybe tomorrow. I will need to search the Internet for the perfect recipe.

Tonight while watching Glee I saw a commercial that was soooo about my Dad!! It was one of those Pemco insurance commercials. I think they may need to pay my Dad cuz he was certainly the inspiration for this one!

Speaking of Glee - tonight's show was an odd coincidence of timing - Amber Riley who plays Mercedes on the show sang I Will Always Love You that was one of Whitney Houston's biggest hits. She did an incredible job and it couldn't have been better if it had been planned. De

They're Watching

2012-02-13T21:37:00.000-08:00

I swear - this weekend I felt like they were watching me!

Saturday morning someone from church knocked on my door at 9:30 - that's just a little too early on a Saturday morning. Of course Chrissy started barking, but I've gotten pretty good at grabbing her up quickly and sneaking up to the peephole on the door to see who is out there. This time it was one of the gals who isn't very warm and fuzzy and has a way of making me feel like I'm doing something wrong or I'm being selfish. She knocked 3 separate times and stood at my door for 5 minutes!! Really - if I haven't answered the door withing 1 minute then I'm probably not going to answer the door. A knock on the door is a request for a face to face conversation - not a demand. I don't have to open the door if I don't want to.

Sunday night I took Chrissy out at 8:30 pm - we got to the bottom of the stairs and headed toward to the street - I hear foot steps behind me - it was the missionaries. They said they were in the area and were just going to head to my place to see how I was doing. Interesting how they just happened to be right there when Chrissy needed to go outside.

Just feeling a little paranoid!!

De

Roller Coaster

2012-02-11T19:07:00.000-08:00

Up - Down - Up . . . I was on a roller coaster ride yesterday . . . . mentally not an actual ride! A ride would have been more fun. I got up this morning and I was in a good mood - it was Friday . .Yay!! I baked last night and the bread turned out and tasted great - My workday looked to be a little less stressful - no traffic this morning. I was actually pretty chipper all day long. Even more so when I got a text message from Amazon letting me know that my Breaking Dawn DVD had been delivered - it was a good day. Then came . . . . . . . . . the call from L. Her TurboTax card wasn't working - she needed me to help her get it fixed - then the question of when I was leaving work, maybe I could drive her home. I was feeling good so why not.

Everything was going fine until . . . . . I took her to the Chevron so she could take money off her TurboTax Card. While she was inside I got a call from my mom - whom I hadn't talked to in awhile. L tried calling me and I figured if she needed me bad enough she would come outside - uh no - it just pissed her off that I didn't drop what I was doing to take her call - after all her needs are the most important. She finally came outside to the car and started yelling at me for not taking her call - what was so urgent - the ATM Machine was telling her she could only take out $400 and she needed to know if that just meant from that machine or for the day. After I explained it all to her she went back inside - then she came back out to the car and snapped at me that her bus to Kellie's was going to be there soon and she still needed to get home - uh yeah - like I was the one taking too much time in the Chevron. I got her dropped at her house and I took off before she could get mad at me again. She still succeeded in putting a damper on my mood.

That was until I got home and found my Breaking Dawn DVD waiting for me!!!! Yay!!

De

A Little Baking - A Little Smile

2012-02-09T21:49:00.000-08:00

Well - the stress bubbled up and over . . . . . . . . no crying . . . . . . just a tremendous amount of energy when I got home from work - so I did what makes me happy and helps me to just forget everything and breathe . . . . . I baked! I had a bag of bananas just waiting to be used - they weren't as mushy as I would normally use but I so needed to bake. Chrissy doesn't like it when I am hanging in the kitchen - not sure why, maybe because that's her home during the day and she's worried I'm going to do something to it. She just stands guard in there watching me move around - every once in awhile jumping up to tag my butt.

I had just finished mixing everything together and was getting the pans ready - I set the spatula down on the counter - it fell off and scared the beejesus out of Chrissy! I thought it had just landed on the floor next to her. After the bread was in the oven and I went to the couch, Chrissy jumped up next to me - I started petting her and my hand ran through a gooey mess - yup - the spatula had landed on her before it hit the floor!! Time for a really quick bath!

While baking I watched The Ellen Show, which I had recorded during the day because my two favorite little girls from England were back on - Sophia Grace and Rosie!! If you have never seen them you should search on YouTube and watch their videos. I will give you a quick taste of what I mean - watch this.

This just made me smile when I got home - which was much needed.

De

Muddled

2012-02-08T20:35:00.000-08:00

Muddle Mind - that's what I feel like tonight. I have been working on so many different things at work these days that it's all starting to muddle together. My head is so full that it's almost making my eyes leak . . . . . . . . aka close to tears . . . . . . . No Crying in Finance! It's not any one thing in particular - it's just everything all at once - needing to be done right now - I'm drowning!

I'm not sure if these feelings have anything to do with depression or if it's just normal - I don't really have anyone I can talk to about this to see if what I'm feeling is something that all people go through. I hate feeling like I'm going to burst out into tears - so I swallow it all down - bury it in the back of my mind - hope it doesn't bubble out at some inopportune moment!

People that I could talk to either want to fix it - don't want to talk about it - change the subject - story trump. I don't want it fixed - I want someone to say hey - I understand what your feeling - let me take on some of the stress for you. Or to just give me a big hug and try to help get my mind off things. Chrissy just isn't that good at taking things on for me though!! Anyone want to volunteer to come take some of the at home stress over - I could use a great organizer to help me toss things and straighten up.
My thoughts are jumping all over and I don't think I'm making much sense tonight. I think I will just head to bed early and hope tomorrow is a better day.

De

I'm baaaack!

2012-02-07T22:54:00.000-08:00

I've been thinking about why I don't write much anymore - and I have come to the conclusion that it is because I started worrying about what people would think about what I wrote - what kind of comments I might get - worried that I had nothing important to say - worried I might say the wrong thing, upset someone, and then get a talking to about how I hurt someones feelings. Well - one of the reasons I started writing in here was to get over the fear of what people think about me. My thinking got in the way of my writing. No more - I am going to write about what's on my mind.

So - going forward I will write what I want and not worry what people think.

I am thinking about changing the name of my blog again - this past year has been a journey but I think that name has run it's course. The new name will reflect my life right now . . . . . . . . Living With Depression . . . . . . . . I hope to give some insight into what it's like . . . . . . . . to dispel the myth that being depressed means you sit around crying all the time . . . . . . to help get rid of the stigma of mental health disorders . . . . . . .

Snow Route

2012-01-17T09:11:00.001-08:00

Riding the bus when it's on snow route is always an experience. Not only are the schedules messed up but you get a lot of people who have never taken the bus before so they have no idea what's going on!!

Case in point - the Highlands snow route is a shuttle that takes you down to the Transit Center in issaquah and from there you have to find another bus to get you to Seattle. New riders don't understand this and they get left at the TC and have no idea what they're suppose to do. The shuttle driver this morning was so cranky and mean - he was yelling at people to just get on the bus and not explaining what was going on. I felt so bad for some of the people - I helped out though when we got to the TC and explained which busses to take to a group of people.

The other issue is that the 554 bus is always crowded and now they need to take on all of the 218 riders - no extra busses though so it is extremely crowded and at the TC nobody stands in line - they all just start pushing to get on the bus!!

The 554 bus driver is really nice and has been taking the time to answer people's questions. So now I am on the last leg of my trip to work - only been an hour so far!! Hopefully I get to work before lunch!! See - all of the busses have chains on so they can only go 30 mph!!

De

Oh Darn - That's The End

2012-01-08T22:03:00.000-08:00

I can't believe the weekend is over already- it went so fast - probably because yesterday I had to wait for the Comcast guy to come fix the cable box. Then I went in to work for a few hours that turned into five hours. The cable guy actually got here at 10 o'clock like he was supposed to. And the problem did end up being my DVR box – so we had to pull out the old one put in the new one, and it all works. But of course that means I lost every show I had recorded on my DVR. Which probably isn't a bad thing - start with a clean slate and maybe not record so many shows.

Last night I left work around seven o'clock and headed home. I decided that I deserved a treat so I went to my new favorite place to eat - Five Guys Burgers and Fries. Their bacon cheeseburger is really really good - the only problem that I had last night was with my french fry order. I ordered just regular fries – I got Cajun fries. Which wouldn't have been so bad if that's what I had ordered, but it's not what I ordered - So when I took a bite it was rather spicy.

After I finished my dinner I went over to Target to pick up a few things - best laid plans - we all know what happens when you plan on only picking up a couple things in Target - you wander around for a little while you end up with a full cart. I love the beginning of the new year at Target – they have a section set up with household items like laundry detergent, shampoo, soap, etc.… I can always replenish my stock at home when I shop there. I also decided to go ahead and restock L with some of these things. She can always use more toothpaste, laundry detergent, shampoo etc. I like being a nice mom like that and getting her things when she's not expecting them.

Today I didn't go work - I slept in for a little bit and I went out to L's house to drop off all of the household items I picked up for her at Target yesterday. I decided to take her out to lunch, seems be the only way to make sure she's eating at least one good meal. I took the Red Robin – I had a salad and she had ribs with mac & cheese. Who would've thought that Red Robin could make a really good macaroni and cheese – it was really really good. after lunch we wandered around Factoria mall for a little bit way that Jesus changed. There are a lot of open parts of the mall for lease in some of the bigger stores that used to be there just aren't there anymore. We went into the Petco store, and I found some chewy bones to work with the. I got those in hopes that she would chew on those and be able to get all should stick to some was hoping that she would get older chewing out on those and that the bone would last for a while. yeah that's so did not happen, it lasted her an hour and nap bone was gone completely demolished.

Now Chrissy, the cat, and I are on the couch working on her imitation of a slug. We've really got this down!

De

Escaping

2012-01-06T22:51:00.000-08:00

Long, long day at work So many things on my plate right now - year end close - I honestly think my brain hit the full mark today and started overflowing - hopefully nothing too important escaped! I left the office just before 8 and made it to the parking garage with 2 min to spare before I would go from early bird pricing to highway robbery pricing. Yay me! I was almost home when one of the things that had tried to escape my brain jumped up and hit me . . . . darn it . . I have to stop at QFC because the cats are out of food! As long as I was there I did some food shopping for me too.

The Lean Cuisine lunches were on sale - like they usually are for New Years Resolution time - and they had the new Lean Cuisine Snacks! I had been wanting to try one so I grabbed the Artichoke/Spinach Dip w/Pita Bread. Seeing as it was late and I was only a little hungry I decided to have it for dinner - better that what I normally would have done last year - which would have been to have ice cream - my comfort food for stressful days. It was good.

Well - I should round up the "kids" and get everyone to bed.

De

2012

2012-01-04T21:00:00.000-08:00

OMG! I just looked at my blog - I did not realize it has been since December 1 that I posted last. I will be surprised if I have any readers left.

So tonight was rather interesting. I got off work and it took me for ever to get home because all of those people that don't want to pay the toll on 520 so they are taking I90. It took me 45 min. to get home. I picked L up from work so I could bring her up to the house to check the mail to see if her unemployment check was here. It was, but it was only $23 instead of the $125 that it usually is - she had a meltdown- . Her work check was half of what it usually is also because of the construction they been doing everybody's hours have been cut. Of course, she's known that she hasn't been working very many hours but she seemed to be totally surprised that her paycheck was half what it usually is. She started saying that she wasn't going to be able to pay her rent and that she would have to move out and this is the worse year so far. I resisted the urge to offer money - I offered the suggestion of getting a second job - which went over like a lead balloon. Well - it's a good thing that I didn't offer to give her any money because after she cashed her checks she wanted me to drop her off at the Chevron so she could pick up cigarettes and beer - yes she wanted to get cigarettes and beer even though she was just telling me how she was going to have no money for rent. And then as she got out of the car I heard her on the phone calling her dealer. So she has money for marijuana but - no money for rent that's priorities.

So - question for you. Have you ever had a moment in your life where you've done something or acted a certain way that after it's over - you look back and you know that's not you -it was just very out of character to be like that. You apologize - you don't do those things again - you think it's all good. But you find that some people are never going to forget it and that that's all they are going to remember you for. What are you supposed to do if the thing that you did happened years ago and you have shown that you're not like that. It's like what they say - Do something good and nobody says anything, do something bad and everyone says something. Or - your GPA goes down with one bad grade and it takes forever to get it back up.

I have heard the commercials for Dragon Speech - this software that you load onto your computer and it comes with a headset and you just talk and the computer prints what you're saying. Well I finally - after a couple of years - decided to go ahead and get the software and I am using it for the first time tonight to do my blog. As I am watching the words print out onto the screen I can see that there are some words I say that it has no idea what they are and it just prints what it thinks it is. So even though the writing of the blog at first is a lot quicker I am definitely going to have to go back through and edit to make sure that it says exactly what it is that I wanted to say - otherwise y'all are going to think I'm on drugs. I'm sure there is a way to work with the software so that it recognizes what you're saying. I guess it's time to pull out the instructions and study up on it. This was certainly nice - it went a lot faster than trying to type it all out. So I am hoping that with this I can try to keep up with my blogging and make 2012 a better year.

De

Deja Vu

2011-12-01T21:36:00.001-08:00

This post is pretty much a repeat of yesterday's. Worked late - L wanted me to take her to Subway. This time though I decided to help her out - partly because I was tired and wanted to avoid an argument - partly to be nice - mostly to prove a couple of points!

1. Doing this is not a quick 5 min detour. I told L yesterday it would take at least 20 min - she of course argued. I timed it - 19 minutes!!

2. The Subway is not that far away and she could walk. I reset my mileage counter while she was in getting her dinner - it was .90 miles door to door - same as from my house to the QFC which she has walked many times to get cigarettes when she lived here.

Point of all this - ammunition for the next time and I was right!! A little juvenile - yes.

De

I Am Tired

2011-11-30T21:57:00.001-08:00

Long day at work - just leaving Seattle when my phone rings - it's L asking me if I'm almost home - told her I was just leaving. She wanted me to stop by her house and drive her to the Subway so she could get dinner - it was 740 and all I wanted to do was get home so I said No. If you are a regular reader then you know how much L hates to hear that word - she was all pissy - begging - yelling. When she said "why don't you care about me" - I hung up the phone. I haven't heard from her but she posted on her FB - I guess it's no dinner for me. I just so don't have the energy to deal with all this crap.

De

I Just Need To Vent

2011-11-15T20:16:00.001-08:00

What a couple of days. Of course - most of the stress and things that I would like to write about I can't because they are things that happened between 8 and 5 which I'm not able to write about. Insert Tribal Scream here!!!!!!!!!!

Here are a few things I can write about - while I was getting ready to back my car out of its spot in the parking garage last night the person who was parked next to me on the passenger side went to get into their car - it was a tight fit - he saw that I was in my car, it was running and I was preparing to back out. Do you think he moved out of the way so I could move my car which I turn would make it easier for him to get in his car - No - he continues putting stuff in his back sit and then proceeds to get in his car and banging my car with his car door!! Dumb Ass!!!

Things have been really irritating me these days - not sure why - but at this point I either need a long vacation or a high overpass over a very busy freeway. Only thing right now seeming to keep me from the latter is the thought of people going through my house and seeing my cluttery crap. Good reason to keep a messy house for now.

I am headed to bed - early I know - but it is so frickin cold and I just want to snuggle under my blankets and float into oblivion.

De

A Conversation With L

2011-11-13T16:22:00.001-08:00

L and I were talking about football in the car today. I was trying to explain the draft - she thought that more than one team could draft a player and that the player could then choose where he wanted to play. I said no and used Jake Locker as an example saying that I'm sure he would choose to play here and not in Tennessee where he is. She then says "Is he the one that movie was about?". Ummmm . . . No - there wasn't a movie about him. L then says "Then who was The Hurt Locker about?"

I am still laughing!!

De

Organized Chaos

2011-11-03T23:46:00.001-07:00

Nothing like the specter of strangers coming into my house to make me try to organize the chaos around here.

In order to come up to code for the insurance the Home Owners Association carries they have to increase the amount of insulation in the building which requires them to enter through the 3rd floor units. So tonight I was busy moving laundry baskets and other crap out of my room and closet - the entry is in my closet. I moved them all into the guest room. I can't tell you how many times these boxes of crap have been moved!! They just keep getting shuffled from one room to the next - never seem to have enough time to go through them. I set the goal now though - I will get through these boxes one at a time. An item gets pulled out and it either has a spot or it goes in the garbage. I'll keep you posted on how that goes!!

Tomorrow is hopefully the last day of close. It's been long days and Chrissy is really getting irritated with me. I think I may have to spend some quality time with her this weekend - gotta keep her happy so she doesn't pee on my bed again!! Why is it that that's the way pups show their anger! Why can't they just give you the silent treatment!

OK - its late and I need to get up on time tomorrow - take some garbage down to the dumpster, lock the kitties in the bathroom, head off to work.

Don't forget - we get our hour back this weekend!! What will you do with your extra hour on Sunday?

De

UGH!!

2011-11-01T22:23:00.001-07:00

This has been one of those days that just leaves you exhausted.

There of course was basic month end stress. But on top of that I also got to deal with multiple calls from L starting at 930 this morning. That first call was to ask me to check my One Bus Away app to see if her bus was almost there because she was already late to work. As I was opening the app - lo and behold her bus showed up - patience has never been one of her strengths. She then called at 1130 to see if I knew when I was getting off work - yup, it's government check day and was trying to see if I would be able to driver her all over. She then called at 300 and again at 450 then 510 asking me the same question. On the last call she informed me that the Fred Meyer check cashing place is open until 11pm! She called me again at 745 just as I was finally heading out of work. I told her that I was going straight home - it was too late for me to be driving her all over. You guessed it - that did not go over well at all. Instead of whining about how it wouldn't take me that long she changed tactics. She needs money for food - no food in her place and she is so so hungry! The state thinks she makes too much for food stamps now so she's on her own - guessing she forgot to budget that in. My telling her that it wasn't my problem or my fault didn't go over very well - she responded with tears and saying it wasn't her fault either (not sure on that way of thinking). Then there was more crying and heavy sighs and I'm so hungry!

On top of all that - I thought my parking garage let you stay for 12 hours and still get the early bird parking rate - Nope! Only 11 hours - I was 5 frickin minutes past that and had to pay $27 instead of $11!! $3.20 per minute!

Then - turned on the car and my drivers side front high beam popped and was dead - my low on fuel light then came on. I just wanted to go home!

So stopped and got gas then drove by O'Reilly Auto Parts (used to be Schuck's) Yay - they were still open. Went in to buy a new bulb - the cute guy working there helped me find the right one and then asked if I needed help replacing it! That was the best thing that happened all day! He replaced it for me - gave me a smile and I was on my way!

Now I am up letting Chrissy run around - poor thing was in the kitchen for 13 hours today. She was not happy with me when I got home - I tried to give her a hug and get a kiss and she just pushed away from me.

Bedtime now though -

De

My Day In Pictures

2011-10-27T21:28:00.000-07:00

This is the Apple Coffee Cake I baked last night. Everyone at work loved it!

I think this car either has a paper towel or toilet paper holder hanging in it's back window! Why would they have this?

Went to Target after work to pick up a few things and just had to take this picture? It's just so wrong wrong wrong!! I wish things could go back to when Christmas items didn't come out until the day after Thanksgiving.

O.M.G.!!! I so need to get this for my cube at work!!

The B is Back

2011-10-26T22:29:00.001-07:00

No . . . . Not Bitch - although I am sure if you were to ask a few people today they might disagree - in my defense I did post an Oscar The Grouch sign on my cube to give everyone fair warning!

The B is for Baker!! I got inspired today to try something new using the apples I still have from Mom and Dads tree. I am baking a Brown Butter Apple Coffee Cake. I hope it turns out. I am always a little nervous when I try something new - not sure what each step should look like and how thick the batter should be. We shall see! It felt really good to be back in the kitchen baking.

So I had to stop at QFC on my way home to pick up a few things - usually a quick in and out because I have the layout memorized - start in the same aisle every time - works with my OCD very well. Not Today!! They are rearranging the aisles and everything is
moving. Are they remodeling you ask - nope! Apparently there is a new CEO and he is wanting to make his mark! What?!? Hey Mr. Out of Touch CEO - with all of the changes going on these days I could always rely on my QFC to stay the same - a nice comfort zone. Your store is more expensive than others in the area but I liked the layout and you were convenient. I think I am going to start going elsewhere. You know - the Target is carrying fresh grocery items now - and I can run other errands there too. Did I mention some of the changes are really stupid - in one freezer aisle they just swapped which side the dinner and breakfast items are on. They also now have the soda in the same aisle as the cereal?!? Not sure why. I hope when they are completely done they at least hand out maps so we can find everything.

De

Amanda Knox

2011-10-04T21:16:00.001-07:00

The last few days I have been riveted by the Amanda Knox story.

I watched a Dateline special about it over the weekend. Some of the things they showed about the Italian prosecutor and the "evidence" they said they had just boggled my mind. This prosecutor was actually under investigation for misconduct on a previous case where he had accused the wrong people. In fact, I believe he had been convicted on the charges and yet was still involved in the Knox trial.

I guess I am naive and sheltered living here in the US. I just figured that any country that had a judicial system would follow the same rules of evidence that we do. Of course - most of my knowledge comes from watching Law & Order reruns.

I watched the verdict come in online yesterday. Held my breath and was so relieved when they acquitted her and said she was free to go. I watched live tonight when she landed back here in Seattle. It was very emotional.

I can't even imagine what it was like for her to be in jail in a foreign country where she didn't speak the language. If and when she writes a book about her experience I will definitely be buying it.

De

Just Another Post

2011-09-28T21:45:00.001-07:00

No drama in a week - kinda eerie! Not that I want it but I spend energy waiting for something to happen.

We are heading into another quarter end at work - I swear we just did this! That's what happens when your job has lots of repetition - everything blends together. This also means we are entering Q4 which is the holiday quarter - Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas! I can't believe it! Where did this year go!

There is a group of us at work that get together and play the card game UNO at lunch. We have lots of fun - K has a notebook that has the scores from every game that's been played. Today she proposed we play in teams - meaning your partner sits across from you so you don't hit them with any +2 or +4 cards. So K partnered with R and I partnered with L. The first round was funny because L and I kept skipping the other two and then making them pick up cards. Round about the 4th hand I starting laughing so hard I got tears in my eyes - I kept playing +2 and +4 cards on R that at one point he counted his cards and he had 17! Oh - have I mentioned that L and I won every hand! It was hilarious. Not sure K's gonna propose playing partners again anytime soon!

I had a Relief Society Committee meeting tonight. We have some big monthly activities coming up - lots of decisions and planning to do. I haven't been very good lately at attending meetings or going to church on Sunday. I'm not sure why - I just can't seem to get up on Sunday - I've been feeling blah - having those "my life sucks" thoughts and just not wanting to do anything. Some of my FB friends posted a paragraph this week that I will share part of here:

It's hard to explain to someone who has no clue. It's a daily struggle being in pain or feeling sick on the inside while you look fine on the outside (Anxiety, BiPolar, Depression) Never Judge What You Don't Understand.

De

Remote Control Etiquette

2011-09-22T21:47:00.001-07:00

Today at lunch we had a discussion about remote controls. This scenario came up:

A wife comes home at 10 pm and her husband is sitting on the couch with the tv on. She picks up the remote and goes to change the channel without saying anything to him. He asks her what is she doing and she responded "Were you watching that"

Is that a violation of the remote control code? My friend - who did this was shocked by our reaction - we all said you don't touch a person's remote.

What are your thoughts?

De

Story Correction

2011-09-22T14:53:00.000-07:00

There was a part of the story that was left out of last night's post. L did call her Dad and ask what was going on. He had been going through some old stuff - including letters from her when she was in Montana where she asked him why he wasn't writing to her. This brought up old feelings and angry which resulted in his rant to me. L told him he should apologize and he did. I accepted the apology - but part of me wishes he had apologized for what he said and accused me of and not just for having sent the rant.

I apologize for not haiving this in last nights post.

De

I Am Scattered

2011-09-21T20:16:00.001-07:00

I told my friend at work today that the Rolling Stones were going to remake a song about me and instead of singing I'm Shattered it's going to be I'm Scattered!

I have been forgetting appointments, my phone, names, and passwords! It's really been bothering me and driving me crazy. I had a Lisa appt today and I was telling her about a few things that had happened over the last few weeks. She said "So much drama". And it dawned on us - I get scattered when there is a lot of emotional drama going on! Hello! Lightbulb! Now - we all know that with my life the way it is and with who's in it there ain't gonna be less drama any time soon! So I bought a pocket calendar and a small notebook so I can write things down - appointments and things I need/want to do.

So - you may be asking - what drama? Y'all know about the L Target fiasco a few weeks ago. Well, there also was some weird ex drama.

I received a message from L's Dad that was out of the blue and I had no idea where his anger came from. One of the main things that he wrote was that he accused me of telling the people at the Montana school to hold back any letters from him - I know what you're thinking - wasn't that like 5+ years ago!?! Now you know why it confused me. He said things like -

"Do you hate me so much that you would take it out on your daughter out of spite and revenge"

"WTF do you get off messing with your own daughter like that"

"Explain to me why you think it was ok to totally degrade me . . . Slam me . . . on your blog for all the world to see"

See - totally weird. I responded with a rather long message - which I won't repeat here word for word. Here are a few things I said.

"I would never have told anyone to hold letters. Part of her therapy in Montana was to work out her feelings of abandonment and to understand why R hates her so much"

"Did you ever think that maybe the letters never got sent. Unless you actually handed them to the post office yourself you should consider the possibility that they were never sent."

"I have never taken what happened between you and me out on L. The only person that ever did that was R"

"If my blog pisses you off then why do you read it"

" I have never used names so the whole world doesn't know who it is I wrote about"

I hadn't written about this when it happened and I think that's why I've been so scattered. So new rule - when drama happens I need to write it down and not hold the emotions in. Clear that space out for more important things - like where I left my keys!

De

Where Did She Go

2011-09-14T22:07:00.000-07:00

I have been trying to get on here to tell you a fun story but either Mom has been hogging the computer or she hasn't even turned it on. She is busy watching Survivor right now trying to narrow her choices down to her top 3 in her quest to win the coveted Jeff Probst Bobblehead!!

A week or so ago we went up to Nana and Papa's house in La Conner - the humans were picking players for their Fantasy Football teams - I wanted to play with the kitties! But alas - Tuggy and Annie didn't want to play with me. Luckily Mom had brought up my squirrely for me - she's my favorite toy and is so well loved! When we got home from our visit I looked all over the house and could not find my squirrely!! Oh No!! Mom lost her! I was so sad - Mom would say bedtime and I had no toy to pick up and take with me. Oh - I have baskets of toys but I only wanted my squirrely.

A few days later Mom and I went to get the mail and she told me that I had a package - not sure what that is but she seemed rather excited. We got inside and she opened the top of an envelope - put it down close to me - said look what's inside . . . . . . . . SQUIRRELY!!!!

I put my muzzle into that envelope and grabbed hold of my squirrely and pulled her out! I tossed her around in the air - made her squeek - I have been taking her everywhere with me! When I follow Mom to a different room I have my squirrely in my mouth taking her with me. I have also been chasing the kitties away from her - they're not playing with favorite toy!!

OK - Mom just said bedtime so I need to grab the squirrely and head on in.

Night ~

Chrissy

Birthday

2011-09-07T20:56:00.001-07:00

Ok - so the post that's been under construction ran into some labor problems and never got completed. You just can't find good work these days. Hopefully it will get posted eventually!

My Birthday weekend was amazing!

Saturday - Fantasy Football Draft! A few technical issues after the fourth round caused some stress but we continued on and I think I got a pretty good team. Time will tell. Afterwards I had an amazing dinner with my Mom and Dad.

Sunday - Dinner at Red Robin with L - our go to place! I am a Red Robin Club Member so I got a free burger during my Birthday month. Then it was off to the Hanson concert! Yes Hanson - the Mmmbop group. They have put out additional CDs since then and I really enjoy their music. L and I had a blast! After the concert, we walked by the alley where their tour bus was parked and saw a group of girls standing there. We went down to wait and see if we could see the boys. When we got there we realized Zac was standing there signing autographs and taking pictures!! L and I turned into giddy teenagers!

De

Post Under Construction

2011-08-29T21:55:00.001-07:00

I have been working on the post about my vacation and having family in town - I just haven't finished it yet. Please Bear With Me As I Finish!!

Hope to post tomorrow!

De

Not Sure What To Say

2011-08-23T22:29:00.000-07:00

I'm not even sure where to start . . . . . . . I'm not sure I can write about everything that went down . . . . . Not sure anyone will believe me - they might think I am exaggerating . . . . . . I should have recorded the whole scene on my iPhone.

5:30 am - I got out of bed on time! Got ready for work. Saw that I had received a text message in the middle of the night from a number I didn't recognize - it was from L but not from her phone number - her phone had broken so she couldn't text or set her alarm but she could receive calls and wanted me to call her at 930 so she could get up for work. Sure - no problem.

9:30 am - Gave L a call - she asked me if I would take her to cash her state check when she got off at 5 - I told her I wasn't sure what time I would be off work but I would try. She then said that seeing as her phone was broken she didn't think she could pay me any of the $$ she owes me this week. Fine - whatever - not a surprise!

6:15 pm - Picked L up form work - drove up to my place to get the mail - oops!! No Check!! Major Major fit gets thrown - lots of F words - what is she going to do - she needs a new phone!! Started to give her a lecture about planning - not living check to check - yada yada yada! Told her we could go to Target to see how much the phones were! I asked how much the one that broke was - she said $70 but she wasn't going to get one like that - which to me meant she was going to get a cheaper one. When we got to Target - the cheapest phone was $70 - I was not going to float that much money. This is where the night took a weird turn.

L - If I for go the phone can you give me $40 - I have plans tonight and my check didn't come.

Me - I have no cash so No!

L - How about $20

Me - Again - I have no cash so No

This went on and on and on in the middle of Target - she just kept getting more and more belligerent - I finally said I was done listening to this - i was not going to take it anymore - the answer was No and she could just walk to the Park and Ride on her own and that I was going home.

She said she was going to follow me out to the car and push her way in. I got to the car - got in on my side - did not unlock her door which led to her smashing her fist against the windshield - climbing on the hood of my car - when I started the car and put it in reverse she stood behind the car - I let off the brake a bit and rolled towards her - she moved but then went back to pounding on the windows. I called my Mom - mostly cause I needed someone on the phone with me in case L busted a window or tried to attack me instead of the car. She finally walked away and I drove home.

Since then she keeps calling me - to apologize . . . . . uh no! She wants an apology from me for - in her words - trying to run her over with my car! Because that was just so wrong and she would never do that. I so was not going to run her over - never stepped on the gas - foot on the brake at all time. But that is what she wants to keep going over - I was so mean to her . . . oh and she still doesn't understand why I wouldn't give her $20!! She also is upset because she doesn't know how she's going to get work tomorrow because she has no bus money and I told her it was not my problem - yeah, that kinda pissed her off and she went down the road of interpreting that to mean that I don't care about her, I don't love her. Also, if I don't help her get to work tomorrow and cash her check then she can't pay me what she owes me so I must not want my money. The way her mind works boggles mine.

So she is wanting me to apologize and I told her I couldn't do that tonight because I am just not over what happened to which she responded - "I've gotten over it and said sorry I yelled at you - I'm being adult about this - I don't know why you can't" then she hung up on me. At that moment I was thinking - Oh Thank God - she hung up on me so I guess she won't be calling again tonight!

Oh - one more thing - during all of this crap on the phone she says to me "My phone is still broken so You need to call me tomorrow at 9 to wake me up!"

De
Quick Update - L has decided to take this to Facebook! She tagged me in her posts one of which said "F*** You" Yeah - she is a prize!

Selfishness

2011-08-22T22:24:00.000-07:00

Did you know that I'm selfish . . . . . . . . . . . at least that's what L has told me. In fact she's told me that twice this past week.

The first time was last Tuesday - After work I drove up to my place to get the mail - L's check was to be there , which it was - I then drove back down to town to pick her up from work to take her to cash it. When we pulled into the Fred Meyer parking lot and she was getting out of the car I mentioned that we were making good time and she should get to the Park & Ride with enough time to catch her bus. She gave me her WTH look and I said What? She said "Your not driving me home!" I said it was after 7 and I had things to do at home after which she replied - while slamming the car door - "You're Selfish!" I said well isn't that the pot calling the kettle black! She came back and said What!! To which I replied - I can't believe that You are calling Me selfish - you're the queen of being selfish. I told her to just close the door and go cash her check.

Yesterday (Sunday) I received a call at 6pm - she opens the conversation with Hi, What are you doing right now! I answered that I was building a cabinet - which I was. She then asked if I would come pick her up and drive her home because it was soooo hot out and she felt like she was going to drop and she just couldn't stand out in the heat waiting for her bus. I said - uh No - I'm in the middle of building a cabinet and I had other things to do. She then offered to help me with the cabinet and then I could drive her home - I told her No - I was not going to go pick her up to bring her to my house to then turn around and drive her home. I had things to do. She huffed - said you're selfish - and hung up on me.

So I guess everything else I have done for her these past months means nothing just because I wouldn't drive her home! Wow - How could I be like that! I mean she is never selfish - always thinking of others - putting everyone else's needs above her own. OK OK - pick yourself up off the floor and stop laughing!

De

My Miss Chrissy

2011-08-17T21:55:00.000-07:00

Thought I would share with y'all what it's like with Miss Chrissy when I get home from work - this is how my evening goes!

August Birch Box Day

2011-08-11T20:09:00.000-07:00

It's been a long day and when I got home I found my monthly Birch Box in the mail!! Yay!! Here's what I got this month.

It's Always Something

2011-08-09T11:33:00.001-07:00

I am sitting in Bright Now Dental with L - she was scheduled to have two teeth pulled today. Her appointment was at 1030. They brought her back and I've been hanging in the waiting area reading. She just came out in tears - they ran her insurance and there is a 3 month waiting period before they will cover anything. So she would need to wait until end of September to have it taken care of. Problem is her two teeth are so far gone that they are causing quite a lot if pain. So what to do - not much of a decision for me - I am covering the $923 charge. I just didn't feel like there was any other choice. I can't really afford it - I'm broke and in debt - but I couldn't just let her be in pain.

Now I just need to figure out how to pay it off.

De

Might Be TMI . . . . . . But This Is A Journey

2011-08-04T21:35:00.000-07:00

Oh boy – this has been an interesting week. Monday my right ankle started swelling - By Tuesday they were both very puffy and my mouth was extremely dry, you know the kind of dry where your tongue sticks to the roof of your mouth and feels like sand paper – No amount of holding water in my mouth would rehydrate it! Wednesday added the wonderful monthly visitor which was 10 days early!! I am beginning to feel like God’s practical joke! Yes – I am almost 47 and have become premenopausal! I am just thrilled! As if there wasn’t enough crap going on in my life. Add all of these things to the fact that it is a month end close without a weekend cushion so we really had to push it to try and get everything done. See why I feel like someone is playing jokes on me – I’m Not Laughing!!!!!

I feel like I should have a warning sign in my cube – enter at your own risk! I am so on edge these days and I am trying so hard not to snap at anyone.

One good thing – all of the little irritating things like headaches, being unable to sleep at night and then not being able to get up in the morning, constantly being warm – are all starting to make a little more sense. Of course everyone is different so it’s not like I can compare notes with anyone – also my Mom never went through this, I don’t believe my sister has, and most of my friends are too young.

OK – on to another story. Poor L has housemates that don’t respect her stuff – they use her laundry detergent, eat her food, and just this week she discovered that someone has been replacing the Vodka in her bottle with water. How did she know you might ask – was it that her drinks were tasting rather weak. Nope – it was because she keeps her vodka in the freezer – most of us know that vodka doesn’t freeze – and when she took the bottle out of the freezer last night her “vodka” was frozen!! This would be kinda understandable if she was living with a bunch of teenagers our young twenty somethings – but her housemates are mostly around my age!! That’s just so wrong! These people need to just leave her stuff alone. She keeps most of it in her room now – but her frozen things need to be in the freezer in the shared kitchen.

Things that seemed funny to me this week:

When I got home last night there was a bird on the grass. I said Hi Mr Red Robin – which was funny because I was carrying my take-out dinner from .. . . . . . . . Red Robin!!

Went to go pay for my parking at the kiosk and saw three men all standing around the machine putting coins in the machine to pay their parking fee of . . . . . $27!!! Tourist didn’t plan very well for Seattle parking fees.

We have a department goldfish now and when I went to feed it this afternoon he got scared and quickly turned to swim away and smacked right into the plastic tree in his bowl! Poor Mr. EBIDA (Yes we are Finance Nerds)

Gardening!

2011-08-01T22:46:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since I wrote anything - I would like to say it's because I've just been so busy doing so many fun things but . . . . . . . the truth is . . . . . . . . I have become addicted to a Facebook game Gardens of Time!! No!!!!!!!!!!!! I know - I was one of those people that thought all those other people playing with their farms and their mafia wars were nuts - now I'm one of them. I even went so far as to set up FB Accounts for my pets so I could get more neighbors! The addiction level spiked these past couple of weeks when I joined a Gardens of Time group on FB - I have so many neighbors now that my garden is as big as it can get - I am at Level 37 - and I have so much more to do! I get home from work - I answer all the requests from my neighbors - play some hidden object scenes - add a few buildings to my garden - by the time I'm done time has flown by and it's bed time - no time for writing! I wonder if they have FB Games Anonymous meetings. Hello . . My name is De and I am a Gardens of Time - aholic!

Can you believe it's August already! How can you tell you are getting old? . . . . . The years seem to go by faster and faster! It boggles the mind!

Someone called me a "Molly Mormon" today! Lol! The comment came after I told them about all the jam I've been making and the scones I brought in to work last week. They said they were surprised that with my love of homemade baking and stuff that I hadn't become Mormon a long time ago!

OK - it's late and Chrissy is telling me it's time to go to bed!

De

Birch Box Day

2011-07-21T21:30:00.000-07:00

No matter what time I leave work I always seem to get home at the same time - 730! Left at 630 on Tues - home at 730. Left today at 530 - home at 730!! WTH!

I haven't been feeling 100% today - scratchy throat and headache - and when I got home and took Chrissy out for a walk I think I discovered why. It looked like it was literally raining pollen! I was out on the sidewalk and looked out towards the road and I could see all this pollen floating in the air and dancing in the sun! It was really pretty and rather disturbing!

I got the mail today and there was only one thing in there - Birchbox!! Once a month I get something fun in the mail - I love packages! (haha . . .that's what she said!) Anyways - Birchbox Day! Inside my pretty box this month I got:

philosophy - a one step facial cleaner
Nuxe - Multi use dry oil (I'll have ot read up on this as I'm not sure what it's for!)
Redken Shine Flash - give your hair a brilliant finish.
Zoya - Nail Polish in the color Pandora
Extra Kind Almond & Apricot snack bar

Time to watch Big Brother and enjoy my Birchbox!

My Wednesday in Pictures!

2011-07-21T13:39:00.000-07:00

My view on the 1.75 hour long bus ride!

L came by to show me her new accessory!

My very first Sounders game!!

This sign on the bus cracked me up!
We'd like to thank all our ST Express riders for . . . you're dozing off aren't you? Well, since you're not driving, that's definitely an option. Just watch the drool, 'cause the guy next to you didn't sign up for that. And as long as you're not behind the wheel, feel free to read a book too. War and Peace is good. Or at least the Cliffs Notes version was interesting. Hey, it was high school, cut us some slack. Like you read War and Peace when you were 16. Anyway, thanks for riding.

Bus Fun . . . Not

2011-07-20T10:04:00.001-07:00

I am currently stuck on a bus in really bad traffic due to an accident on I90. I am glad I didn't drive today because I think I would be going nuts.

There is a guy sitting just in front of me though who does not seem to be handling this well at all. He can't sit still - keeps rocking back and forth - heavy sighing - he's making me a little nervous. I'm worried he might either crack or throw up! I can't tell if he's just not feeling well or if he's got mental issues.

So far I have been on this bus for 30 minutes and we haven't even made it to the Eastgate Freeway Overpass yet. This is going to be a very long trip and I didn't grab breakfast before I left the house this morning!

Ok - the guy just stood up to stretch and his fly is down. The creep factor just increased. I hope he's getting off at Eastgate and not riding all the way in to Seattle.

The accident was caused by a jackknifed semi and a logging truck that lost it's back axel. I read that there were 13 cars involved and that a child was critically injured. That is very sad. I hope he/she makes it.

I am entertaining myself by people watching the drivers in cars that we pass. They all look very frustrated. There was one guy who was rocking back and forth really fast in his car - not sure if he was trying to get things to move faster or if he was just "rocking" out to some music! Just passed an older gentleman reading a newspaper!! A cop car just passed us - I hope there isn't another accident in the backup.

OK - looks like creepy guy is standing up to get off at Eastgate! Not sure why he's standing right now though - at our rate of movement it's gonna still be another 15 minutes til we get there.

A motorcycle cop and a tow truck just passed by on the shoulder.

Ok. Signing off to read for a bit.

De

That's So Not Me!

2011-07-16T01:27:00.000-07:00

People that know me are going to notice a few things about this post-

This post is being written way past my bedtime!
I did something spontaneous - which hardly ever happens!
I actually left the house and did something on a Friday night!

This morning as I drove in to work I was listening to Jackie and Bender as usual. Most times on Fridays they will have a comedian who is performing in the area on the weekend come by and sit in with them for a bit. This morning it was Josh Blue! He is the comedian from Last Comic Standing with cerebral palsy. I think he won his season - I find him Hilarious! When I got to work I looked up Laughs in Kirkland just to see how much the tickets were - $20 - not that bad. But - I didn't want to go by myself - most of my friends have families so they wouldn't be up for a late Friday night - the show was scheduled to start at 10. Then it came to me - L has been wanting to go to a comedy club since she turned 21. So - I called her - woke her up because it was 1030 - she didn't start work until 1. Asked her if she wanted to go with me and she said "Yes!"

I picked her up when she got off work and we headed to the show! There were 2 opening comics and then Josh Blue came on. They were all very funny - which was great seeing as the last show I went to was in Vegas last year and we didn't really get any good comics. During the second comics act L bumped her elbow against her plate of nachos and made a clanging sound - oh did I mention we were sitting in the very front row right next to the stage!! Anyways - L made the noise and the comic turned to her and started a whole section on her pushing up to her plate of Nachos with elbows out so no one would take any! We were laughing so hard I thought I was going to pee my pants!!

I had so much fun tonight! I will definitely do this again!

De

Ugghh . . . . Mondays

2011-07-11T21:12:00.000-07:00

Yeah - this was a typical Monday.

Woke up with a migraine - trouble getting going - missed bus - missed early bird parking - kept misplacing invoices on my frickin' desk - so completely out of it.

Why is there always one person who has to make a comment about something that has been given to them - instead of thank you they ask where's this or why didn't you bring that.

Chrissy has suddenly decided over the past week that the pee pee pad needs to stay clean and dry - oh not by holding it until I get home and take her outside - nope - by peeing on the floor right next to it.

Three letters that sum up my day . . . . . . . P M S!!

De

No Longer Martha . . . . It's De!

2011-07-10T21:35:00.000-07:00

I have been quite the Martha Stewart this weekend! So much so that people will start calling it being a De when they are quite the homemaker!!

Yesterday I got up early and headed to the Farmer's Market - strawberry season is coming to an end and raspberry season has just started. I was able to get a flat of strawberries and a half flat of raspberries - the strawberries are so ripe that the stall I went to gave me half a flat at half price. They are very very ripe! Good thing I planned on using them right away because they would not have lasted past this weekend - in fact, I lost some overnight so quickly finished up today. Yesterday I made my very first batch of strawberry jam - it was fun and easy - the jam set-up real nice!

Today I made a batch of raspberry jam and then a batch of wild berry jam - mixture of strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries (which I had in the freezer). They are all set-up and ready to go in the freezer tomorrow. I had some strawberries leftover so I just made a strawberry-rhubarb crisp to bring in to work tomorrow.

I have jam coming out my ears now and I still want to make more! I am going to need a bigger freezer! I think I will need to give some away - especially before blackberry season gets here! After I make jam my next project is going to be canning - I will try peaches first I think - then when fall gets here it will be time for applesauce. I so need a bigger kitchen!

De

Relief Society

2011-07-07T22:18:00.000-07:00

Last night was our Relief Society Additional Meeting. The theme we were given was Provident Living so the Activity Committee - which I'm on - decided to do something on making jam and canning. Now - I've made jam before - although a very long time ago. When I lived in North Bend I had a plethora of blackberries growing in my backyard - I used to just go out there and pick enough to either make a pie or mix up some freezer jam. It was fun. However - I have never canned anything so was very excited to learn about that.

I thought canning would be intensive and messy. What I found out is - if you plan ahead - are very organized - have a system - it can go rather smoothly. It made me very excited to give it a try. I was pleased to find out that you don't have to have a canning/pressure cooker - you can us any large pot as long as it has a good fitting tight lid and you have a rack to set the jars on. So - now I just need to get some canning utensils - most importantly a jar lifter for taking the hot jars out of the hot water.

Actually - the first step is probably to get my kitchen clean and organized so I have room to do the canning. I wonder what I should try first? Maybe just a couple jars of peaches to practice and test my skills on. If this all works then my next thing might be applesauce!

I have a potential new hobby!

De

Update on L

2011-07-05T22:02:00.000-07:00

I had already planned on doing an L update tonight - which is probably why something else came up!

Last weeks issue was a dental problem. I've been telling her she needed to get her insurance started through work - she's not on mine and she can get it through work. Of course, typical L doesn't do it until there's an emergency and it takes 3 weeks for the insurance to kick in. The dental emergency is a major toothache that just wasn't going away. I finally got her to go to Bright Now Dental to get it looked at - they have deals for people with no insurance. So she got it looked at - ends up she has two severely infected teeth - upper molars on both sides in the very back. They put her on antibiotics, pain meds, and have scheduled her for tooth extraction in August when her insurance kicks in. They work out payment plans with people - so hopefully she makes the payments and I don't end up having to pay for this. I did have to pay the $39 for the check up because she had no cash. I am in debt and it's mostly due to L expenses.

This kinda rolls right into the weird thing that happened tonight. L called me when she got home from work - the Landlord was at her house and told L that the owner of the house wanted her mother's phone number to discuss the rent. L said she told them that I have nothing to do with her rent - that I don't take care of her. She told me that she is up to date on Rent - that she gets paid tomorrow and will be making her $200 payment towards July. She told me that she had worked out a payment plan with them because she doesn't get paid enough on one paycheck to cover a months worth of rent so they had agreed to her paying half with each paycheck. I know - part of me is thinking the same thing - that she either hasn't been making the payments or no payment plan was really ever set up - she just figured if she made the payments they would just go with it. At least she called to warn me and I had her give them the home phone and not my cell. Not sure what the owner would expect to get from me - L's 21 - not a minor - I never co-signed the rental agreement - They can threaten to throw her out but they're not getting any money out of me. I have none to give. Maybe I should give them her Dad's number - he could step up and help her out this time.

Will there ever be a time when she is not a drain on my finances? I am barely paying all of my own bills - certainly can't pay hers as well.

De

Downward

2011-06-30T09:32:00.001-07:00

(Post from last night . . . Blogger wasn't working!)

I am getting too old for this . . . . . . . stayed up until midnight last night reading Mockingjay - the final book in the Hunger Games Trilogy. The book was intense, emotional, and I couldn't put it down - I just had to finish it. I'm paying for it today though - so so tired! Not just the kind of tired where you yawn and want to sleep - it's the kind of tired that turns your brain to mush and makes you feel like you're forgetting something. I've been like this all day - just can't shake it - so I will be hitting the sack at a more decent hour tonight - like as soon as I finish writing!

Even before staying up way too late last night I had been feeling out of sorts. I couldn't figure it out - I had a good staycation - felt rejuvenated after the week off - but since then I just can't shake this weird feeling. I think I may have figured it out - I don't do real well with change and there have been a few changes in the past couple of weeks. It just disrupts the routine and throws me off balance. I am hoping that my emotions settle down in the next few weeks so I can get back on track - don't want to ride the emotional roller coaster downwards too far - tends to get me in trouble.

De

Fullfilling Sunday

2011-06-26T20:54:00.000-07:00

No tears tonight - could be because I read for a bit and then I've just had Law & Order reruns on the TV. It's been a good day - sunshine - a cool breeze coming through the windows. Of course that means I didn't get anything done around the house! : P I tell ya - I need someone to just come in and do this for me - I need someone that can de-clutter - organize - haul crap down to the dumpster/recycling. I'm not lazy - I have all goo intentions of getting things done - I just get overwhelmed when I see everything - I just don't know where to start. OK - just saw a preview for The Messiest House 5 - my house doesn't look as bad as that so I guess it could always be worse!

Miss Chrissy and her favorite toy!

Chrissy has been carrying around her squirrel toy all day. I opened the screen door when I got home so the cats and Chrissy could go out. I did a few things and when I looked outside Chrissy had set Squirrelly out on the deck by her little pee patch of grass - which by the way she still hasn't figured out how to use! I just now looked over at her and she was sound asleep in her little bed on the couch and she had placed squirrelly in bed with her! She can be so cute sometimes! I rarely get a good picture of her because she jolts awake at the slightest movement - luckily my phone was right next to me! Isn't she cute!!

So I already watched the season premiere of True Blood. Next up is the season premiere of Leverage - with my sweetie Christian Kane! Also the Series Finale of Law and Order CI - that is sad because I really liked that show - at least they brought back Goran and Eames to finish it out. I have both set to record on the DVR - luckily I was able to watch True Blood East Coast Time otherwise I would have had to make a tough decision as they are all on at the same time on the West Coast.

Sacrament Meeting, Sunday School, and RS were all good today. In every single one there was a message that I felt was for me. It's amazing when that happens. You get answers to your questions in small ways - someone that you don't know in your ward gives a talk and part of their message is an answer for you. In Sunday school the topic continues with that same topic and then it carries over into RS. I find it amazing when I here something that I have been searching for!

OK - tomorrow is another work day. Time to hit the hay.

De

Ask And You Shall Receive

2011-06-25T20:04:00.000-07:00

God must have decided that last night wasn't a good enough cry - I just got done watching The Time Travellers Wife and even though I had read the book and knew what was going to happen I cried and cried and cried! Now the movie Dear John is on and I can already tell I'm gonna be crying - it is based on a Nicholas Sparks book after all. Hopefully I will be all cried out by the time this one is over.

De

A Good Cry

2011-06-24T21:00:00.000-07:00

Have you ever needed a good cry - just to clear out the emotions building up inside - and you can't just sit down and cry. Well I needed that - although I wasn't aware of it. I was channel flipping and came across a movie on Showtime that I had kinda wanted to see - even though I knew it would be cheesy - It was a basic rom-com (romantic comedy) and I knew exactly how it was going to end . . . . I decided to watch it . . . . . . . . . . . . Letters To Juliet. It was good - I got a good cry! Has anyone else seen this?

Now I am going to get back to reading - Catching Fire - book two of The Hunger Games Trilogy. Very Good!! I seem to be good at getting into a series of books after all of them had been published! I don't think I could have waited for the next one to come out! It's a young adult series so it reads rather quickly - which is good! I hope to get book two finished and book three started this weekend. I know . . . I lead such an exciting life!!

De

Done

2011-06-20T22:00:00.000-07:00

Day is done

Gone The Sun

From The Hills,

From The Lake,

From The Skies.

All is Well

Safely Rest

God is Nigh.

It is Bedtime - Vacation is over - I gotta get my butt out of bed and go to work tomorrow - how very, very sad. It's like the last day of camp.

Trying to think of positives here -

I will get back on a regular schedule
I will have other people to talk to - not just the silly dog
I will get back on my meds - which is the one negative about vacation - I get off schedule and forget to take my meds.
The weather will get nicer because I don't have any plans to hang around outside

Only 5 positives!! How depressing!! Or that may just be the non-meds talking! : P

De

Staycation!

2011-06-17T23:52:00.000-07:00

Well - the plan was to write every day and let you know how my staycation was going but I was having too much fun doing absolutely nothing!! Well - almost nothing.

Sunday - Family Day! I spent thew afternoon up in La Conner visiting Mom and Dad - hanging on the patio - having BBQ Burgers and Potato Salad for dinner. It was lots of fun. I think Chrissy liked being out on the patio - she was on a leash but still had lots of room to run around.

Monday - Chore Day! Kinda needed to plan for more than one day for this. I didn't realize how much crap my closet could hold - and I've been shoving boxes, files, stacks . . . in there for 16 years! I finally got everything pulled out of there and even pulled the bins out from under my bed. I think I sorted through everything - now I just need to shred the confidential papers, carry out the other papers to recycling, and straighten up and store the papers that I need to keep . . anyone know how long you need to keep your Tax Returns? I have so many other chores that needed to be done - need to rearrange my schedule!

Tuesday - Errands Day! I went to Half Price Bookstore and sold 3 grocery bags of books. I think the economy has hit them too - I didn't get as much money as I usually do. I did get enough for movie day though - I think. While they were going through my books I hung out at the Starbucks and read on my Kindle. Then I went and got L so she could cash her unemployment check - then we went to Target and then to her house. Then I went to QFC to get a few groceries and then I went home.

Wednesday - The original plan was for this to be Lunch with a Friend Day - plans got cancelled though so it became Pajama Day! It was just me, the cats, and Chrissy hanging out on the bed all day. Hadn't had a lazy day without guilt in a long time! I did leave the house once - didn't change outta the jammies though! I went to L's work - went through the drive-thru to give her some Tylenol - picked up some lunch for myself - went back home!

Thursday - Entertainment Day. It was Three Movies and a Dinner Day! I started out seeing Super 8 - the new movie by JJ Abrahms and Steven Spielberg. When a movie gets lots of hype I am usually disappointed - not this time! It was really good and entertaining! The actor that plays Charlie in the movie actually live sup here on the Plateau and goes to BLMS! You wouldn't recognize him though on the streets because he had to gain 50 pounds for the role and he has lost that weight and gone through a growth spurt. Ohh to be a kid again and not have to worry about trying to lose weight!! The next movie was Hangover Part II - it wasn't bad - not as good as the first one though. The last movie was Bridesmaids! This one was funny! I had heard it was a Hangover for chicks - not really. It was better - not as vulgar - and very funny! I also have a new actor crush - The guy who played Officer Rhodes - Chris O'Dowd! He's cute and has the best accent! I looked him up on IMDB to see if I had missed him in other movies - looks like he has mostly done work in England. After the movies I went to Red Robin for dinner - I couldn't believe how crowded it was! Then I remembered it was the last day of school - lots of kids out celebrating the beginning of summer vacation. Luckily there was room up in the bar area so I didn't have to wait for a seat. Then it got even better when the bill came - This was my tenth meal since joining the Red Robin Rewards Club so the burger was free!! Nice!

Friday - No plan day! No other name. I took Chrissy for a walk - took recycling down to the bins - played computer games. At least I got out of my pajamas!

Now it is the weekend and I have Monday off also - there's just something about coming back from a vacation on a Monday that just seems wrong! So - three days left - a few more chores to get done - a Ward BBQ tomorrow night. I could get used to this life of no work!

De

Woops!

2011-06-08T21:55:00.000-07:00

Thank God I am here sitting comfortably on my couch and not in a hospital somewhere. I took a fall down the last four stairs in the Bus Tunnel this evening on my way home! Those stairs are marble and the floor was very hard. I miscalculated where the last step was and - boom - down I went. It was all in slow motion though - I thought I caught my balance but nope - landed in a heap at the bottom of the stairs. And at the height of rush hour and many many people trying to catch the train or their bus there were lots of witnesses to this fall - many walked around me or just stared at me - one person helped me up and asked me if I was OK. I appreciated her help.

Now what have I learned from this -

The majority of people in Seattle aren't very helpful and/or willing to help out a stranger.
Marble steps are very slippery
Walking down stairs and reading at the same time isn't very smart!

Same Old Same Old

2011-06-07T22:24:00.000-07:00

Note to Weather God:

Make up your mind! It's very hard to know what to wear when the temperature changes so drastically form day to day! Yesterday was a capri day and today was jeans and jacket day! Last night was a keep the fan going in the bedroom night and tonight is a snuggle under several blankets to stay warm night!

I need some new simple ideas for dinners - I'm getting bored with what I have in my repertoire of recipes. Lately I have been having cereal for dinner which - although very easy - is not very healthy. Any suggestions you might want to share would be great!

3 Days until staycation!!

De

Sun

2011-06-06T20:52:00.000-07:00

The last few days have been full of sunshine - I didn't realize how much I missed that golden ball in the sky! Saturday I sat on the deck and read - Chrissy perched on my lap the whole time! I finished the book The Peach Keeper - it was a good read and quick. Now I have moved on to the book The Hunger Games - I had heard good things about this book and I know they are planning on making a movie based on the book too - it is a trilogy.

One day down - four to go - then I have a week off! It's been 6 months since I took more than a couple days off in a row. I hope this sunny weather holds out.

My brain is really fuzzy right now - I think I need to get a good night sleep. So off to bed.

D

Which Way Do I Go

2011-06-04T12:30:00.000-07:00

Well - all I can say is that yesterday was very very interesting!

My family used to tease me and say that if they dropped me in the middle of Seattle I wouldn't be able to find my way home! How about not being able to get to a place you drive to every day! Yup - got a little lost going to work yesterday - so so sad. I took the James street exit like I usually do - get on to James and in the far right lane so I can turn on 4th. My problems started when I moved to get around a big truck and wasn't able to get back in to the lane - no one would let me in - so I couldn't turn onto 4th. I thought - no problem I'll just go around the block and get back onto 4th from another street. Great plan right! Would have been but when I got part way around the block I didn't recognize any of the streets and somehow found myself on the other side of I5 right by Harborview Hospital! Thank goodness for my Garmin - it got me back on track - not before I had been driving around for 15 minutes which caused me to miss Early Bird Parking which meant I had to pay $27 to park instead of $12!! A $15 mistake!

Then - after work I took L grocery shopping then drove her home. Backed into her driveway to make it easier to unload her groceries. This driveway is a small version of Mom and Dad's Mirrormont driveway - very steep - so getting out of it requires a balance between brakes and gas. My first try didn't go so well - the car never moved - nope, not because I had the E-Brake on!! It was because I had not taken it out of park and put it in to drive!

I'm telling you - I need to just stay put - not go anywhere! At least it is sunny outside today so I can just hang out at home - do some reading outside.

De

It's Thursday!

2011-06-02T22:23:00.000-07:00

Today felt so much like Wednesday that I felt giddy when I got home and remembered that it is Thursday and the week is almost over! Yay!! And . . . . . . . . . it is supposed to be in the 70s this weekend!!

I met the new Missionary in our ward - he and Elder Graham were walking along the sidewalk when I took Chrissy out for a walk when I got home. Elder Bowen is his name and he seems nice - he's from New York. They told me that Elder Tinge got moved to his previous ward in Federal Way. Hopefully that means that eventually he will come back here.

Right now Chrissy and I are just hanging on the couch - I'm trying to get sleepy and she is just waiting for me to go to bed - squirrely right by her so she can grab it and run to the bedroom as soon as I turn off the TV.

Bite Your Tongue

2011-06-01T21:51:00.000-07:00

The voices in my head have been getting very loud - fighting to get out and make some noise. I have been struggling to keep them silent and in my head but it is getting rather crowded in there. So I need to let a few of them out -

"People - it's only water"
"Hellooooo - Free Right Turn"
" Uh - that would be why I gave it to you"
"Make up your mind people"
"Oh Yeah! Well, your dog looks like scrub brush!"
"I wouldn't have asked for a straw if you had put one in the bag"

OK - I've made a little bit of room - should be able to keep the voices quiet for a few more days!

De

Long Weekend - Fast Year

2011-05-31T21:25:00.000-07:00

Can you believe tomorrow is June 1st - This year has gone by way too fast.

So tonight I am out walking Chrissy - she's doing her thing sniffing around the grass and trees. Two ladies come walking up and they have a fluffy hyper pup - Chrissy was a little skittish but then went to sniff at the new pup. The owner then makes a comment that Chrissy looks like a chicken and maybe she's acting that way because she's embarrassed about having no hair! Really!!! WTH! You don't make comments about someone else's dog - especially when you don't even know the person - that's like saying something rude about a strangers baby. You just don't do it! I told Chrissy that I thought she was beautiful - even though she does look a bit like a chicken in the back.

3-Day Weekend was fairly uneventful -

Saturday morning was our Ward Memorial Day Breakfast and Work Party - we cleaned up around the inside and outside of the church. Breakfast was really good - pancakes, sausage, fruit, orange juice. Yum Yum Yum!! It made for an early day - had to be at the church at 8. Got home before noon though and spent the rest of the day being very lazy.

Sunday was church and then hanging at home - doing some chores. I picked L up from work so she could come up to the house and use my computer - she needed to take her Food Handlers test online so she could get her Handlers Card for work - she needed to take it here because of course it costs money and she needed me to use my debit card.

Monday I made a stop to see L at work because after everything on Sunday - she forgot her Handlers Card sitting on the table at my house - so I went by her McDonalds to drop it off for her. Then it was home to do laundry - keep working on my closet - make brownies. I made brownies for Elder Tinge as I had to say good-bye to him - he's been in our ward for about 8 months - which is a long time for a missionary to be in one place - he is being transferred to a new ward Tuesday. It is very sad for me - I cried when he came by. I am going to miss him - he was a gift from God and I am thankful every day that I ran in to him and Elder Brady on the sidewalk back in September.

This week starts Month End - I think this is why the year has gone by so fast - I just go from one Month End to the next. I have this week and next then I am taking a Staycation! I need to use up some vacation time and don't really have anywhere to go so I will be spending it at home. I did this last year and made each day a different theme - Spa Day, Movie Day, Bookstore Day, Chore Day, Stay in Jammies Day. I think I will do that again - my feet could really use a pedicure. I have a lot of books to take to the Half-Price Bookstore - hopefully I can make some money so I can do a few things on my staycation.

OK - time to head to bed. Miss Chrissy is curled up next to me on the couch - as soon as I turn the TV off she will be off the couch - grabbing her squirrely - running to my bed for snuggles - then it's time for the crate. She likes her routines.

De

Week Almost Over

2011-05-26T21:43:00.000-07:00

Ahhhh . . . . . one more day of work and then a 3-Day Weekend!! No big plans other than a Ward Memorial Day Breakfast and Work Party to clean up around the church on Saturday - going to see the new Pirates of the Caribbean movie - church on Sunday - finish working on cleaning out my closet. It's not like the weather is going to be super warm - it's more like Fall around here!! Even I'm getting tired of this - and I usually like living around here.

So I have made it 2 weeks without soda!! I thought it would be really tough but so far so good - no withdrawals - drinking lots of water - not craving it as much as I thought I would. Although - my migraines and the ringing in my ears have come back - maybe it was the massive amounts of soda keeping them away!! What to do - do I go back to the soda or try to just work through the headaches?? Hmmm . . . . .

I am officially addicted to the game Gardens of Time of FB - I usually don't play the FB Games but this one is hidden objects which I Love!! I keep trying to get more neighbors so I can increase the size of my garden - you decorate it with different artifacts and buildings - I am running out of room and the only way to get more acreage is to increase the number of neighbors - So - if any of you want to just join the game so I can have more neighbors - that would be wonderful - you wouldn't even have to play. Just let me know!!

De

Not Feeling Relaxed

2011-05-25T22:11:00.000-07:00

So my Lisa appointment didn't go well today - I usually leave there feeling better than when I got there - not today. She was a little manic today - kept jumping in and interrupting me while I was talking. I didn't feel like I got to vent enough or talk about what has really been bothering me - what I've been struggling with. Oh - and she kept smacking her gum!!!!!!! That noise drives me bonkers!!

So now I'm just hanging at home - with a dog that won't stop eating my underwear!! She keeps pulling them out of the laundry basket!! Really - when does this puppy stage end - I am so over it.

Quick question - how much information is too much information to share on here - I am having some female issues which are causing problems in my regular life - not sure how much y'all want to read about.

Anyways - I can feel a migraine coming on too - headache, eyes hurt, major ringing in my ears. So - I cutting this blog short and heading to bed to see if I can sleep it away.

De

Feeling Old

2011-05-22T22:05:00.000-07:00

Well - this has been quite the weekend. Everything momentous that happened succeeded in making me feel very very old and out of shape. Two of which were due to Miss Chrissy!!

Yesterday I had to take Chrissy to the groomers - she was a horrible mess - she is very difficult to keep tangle and mat free. Needless to say - each time she has gone to the groomers has not been a delightful experience. So when I got her out of the car and started walking her to the door, she got a bit anxious and bolted! When she bolted I still had hold of the leash and her harness was at the other end! She didn't back out of it - she literally pulled her front paws in and dove through the front of the harness and away she went across the parking lot - running in quick circles and darting back and forth like she was trying to escape a sniper - I'm running after her - she would stop and then just as I would catch up to her to grab her she would run off again - heading right towards busy Gilman Boulevard - I thought for sure she was going to get hit by a car! Only thing that stopped her is that she gets skittish around cars - so she stopped and turned around and cowered back towards me. I am not in shape to be running after a dog in the parking lot!!

Then this evening I was moving bags out the front door - NWC is coming by tomorrow to pick up donations - when Chrissy squeezed right by me and headed down the stairs. What was funny - she stopped at the bottom of each staircase and looked to see if I was following her like she does when she's on the leash! Luckily not as much running was needed - she stopped at the end of the sidewalk.

I carried the donations down to my carport - when I was coming back up the stairs I was hearing a creaking noise - checked the stairs - checked my shoes - then I realized it was my right knee!! WTH!! I'm not old enough to have creaking bones!

I won't go into much detail on the last item - needless to say it is something that only happens to girls and I thought you had to be a grey haired old lady - not 46!!

Besides these exciting things I have been working on de-hoarding my house! I am starting in my closet - I have been pulling items out piece by piece - most of which is now in my carport for donation. I just keep telling myself that it took me 16 years to accumulate all this junk - it's going to take longer than a weekend to clean it all up. I got a good start - 7 garbage bags of clothes, shoes, and stuffed animals waiting for NWC.

OK - Miss Chrissy and I are heading to bed.

De

Crazy Bus Driver

2011-05-19T22:25:00.000-07:00

Wow - you all are very lucky that I'm still here!! I had the craziest bus ride home tonight - I thought for sure I wasn't going to make it. The driver was just out of control - he was driving so fast that as the bus went the bumps in the road people were literally bouncing out of their seats! I was sitting in one of the side facing seats - I swear - if there weren't people standing in the aisles I think I would have bounced right out of the seat and onto the floor! People were looking around - wide eyed - looking at each other - wondering WTH!!! The bus was really packed too - when we made the stop at the Eastgate Overpass people were asking for the back door to be open so they could get off - yes you pay when you get off but all other bus drivers will open both doors when there are so many people and then they manually count the riders as they walk by and show their bus passes - well, this driver said "NO! Only the front door is open!" So people all the way in the back had to try and squish up through all the other standing bodies to try and get up to the front door - it was like fish swimming upstream! Then it was off for another bouncy ride - this time we got the added excitement of Dead Man's Curve on the Highlands exit off of I90 - hang on for dear life! Not sure why the driver was in such a hurry. I was just so glad to be off the bus!

Tonight I did what has seemed to become my regular Thursday Night activity . . . . . . . making a Cheesecake! I decided to try a slightly different recipe tonight - this one doesn't require me to shut to oven off and leave the door closed for 2 hours - which is a good thing because by the time I usually get to that point I end up having to set my alarm for midnight or 1 in the morning! Hopefully it turns out OK - it's for work tomorrow - someone in the lunch crew's last day.

De

Birch Box

2011-05-16T21:09:00.000-07:00

Do you like to get mail? Do you like sample sizes of products? Then you need to go to the Birch Box website.

I heard about this from Jenna and Kellie Rasberry on the Kidd Kraddick show. For $10 a month they send you a box with different samples in it. I heard Jenna and Kellie talk about this quite a few months ago and I decided to finally try it out - you can cancel it at any time if you don't like what you get. Well - I got my first box in the mail and it was so cool! I love getting mail that isn't a bill!

De


The Box!


Nicely wrapped in pretty paper and a ribbon!


Perfume, Lotion, Eye Shadow, Note Card

Bus Talk

2011-05-16T08:43:00.001-07:00

Just got on the bus and headed to work. I know I haven't been very consistent with my writing lately - mostly because the things going on in my life are work related and I am not allowed to blog about work. Kinda leaves me with not much to say. Used to be that L drama could take the place of work but there hasn't been too much drama lately - knock on wood! I may have just jinxed myself - but it could give me blog topics!!

I think this Washington weather has finally really gotten to me - wettest and coldest April on the books - grey skies - one sunny day every seven days or so - it's making me more depressed than usual. Just want to sleep all day - no motivation to do anything - blaah

De

Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-09T21:39:00.000-07:00

I had a wonderful Mother's Day!

It started with church where during the third hour instead of our regular Relief Society meeting the men in the church prepared a celebration for us. We went into the gymnasium where they had set out tables with tablecloths and there was a buffet table with salad, rolls, fruit, veggies, crackers, cheese, and a variety of desserts! While we sat at the tables the young men of the church walked around filling water glasses for us. It was so nice! Then they played a video they had put together where the children answered questions about their Moms - then they passed out pictures and letters the kids had made. I got a letter from the Bishop - seeing as I don't have a child that attends the church. It was very nice and meant a lot that they would think of me.

After church I had been invited to Brother Bennett's house for Sunday Dinner - which is the midday meal. He and his wife live in Preston where 3 of their children live with their families - so everyone was there. It was like a Thanksgiving Dinner - turkey, potatoes, stuffing, etc - it was great food and so much fun to be part of a Family Sunday Dinner.

After I left the Bennett's it was off to get L - she wanted to take me out to dinner. This was definitely becoming a day of eating way too much! She took me to Red Robin - it was very nice! After dinner I took her to Target and got her a birthday outfit - a very cute sundress and sweater. She will look very cute when she hits the clubs tomorrow after midnight to celebrate her 21st birthday! Honestly can't believe we've made it this far!

After dinner it was home for The Amazing Race Finale - rooting for my team that I had in first place in the pool . . . . . . I have no luck in these games!! My team came in third - no one had picked the team that won - but my sister had two teams in the final three including the team she had chosen for first place. If I hadn't invited her to join the pool I would have won the coveted Travelocity Gnome trophy . . . but noooo . . . she won so I now get to send the trophy down to Texas. Lost this one - now I just have to hope my picks in Survivor come through. Come On Rob!!!

Today's sign that I am getting old . . . . . I was walking Chrissy to the mailbox and she was extremely hyper . . . running at full speed until the leash came to an end . . . then flipping in the air and running at top speed back towards me and passed until the leash stopped her again. Well . . . all that sudden stopping of the leash was jerking my arm - which in turn pulled on my hip because my feet were firmly planted so she wouldn't pull me over - I think my hip popped out! I could barely climb the stairs to home! Good Grief!

The best part of my day today - a brief IM Conversation with J! I am having dinner with is family Friday after work - we talked about what I wanted for dinner - then I offered to bring dessert - he said he had read I perfected the cheesecake and would like that - I asked what people would like on their cheesecake and I said I would bring both cherries and strawberries so everyone can top their own. He said his family would want me to move in! I said we could be a real Mormon family then and have our own Reality TV Show - then I suggested we could also bring L into the show and film us trying to convert her! J said we could call it Divine Intervention! I was laughing so hard!

De

Quick Weekend Update

2011-05-02T21:34:00.000-07:00

Well I stepped out of a comfort zone - I went to a church Single Adult activity Friday night - by myself - outside of my ward. It was OK - I didn't meet my McDreamy - didn't make any new friends - but I got out of my comfort zone. When I was getting to leave I did spot a gal from my ward - we started talking and I feel like I now have a new friend in my ward. At least I didn't chicken out.

Sunday was Fast and Testimony Sunday - I actually got up during Sacrament Meeting and gave my testimony! I was thinking about it and next thing I knew - my feet were walking me up to the front of the church - I was at the mic and talking to the ward. This past weekend was the 6 month mark of my Baptism. I am still very happy about my decision. My life has been blessed and I love my ward family.

De

Happy Belated Easter!

2011-04-26T22:00:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone had a great one.

I had a great time at church and then afterwards I picked up L and we headed on up to La Conner to see Mom and Dad - it's so nice to have someone in the car with me - makes the drive go a lot quicker. This was an all encompassing dinner - we celebrated Easter - Mother's Day - L's B-day! Since it was L's B-day we had Flank Steak and Yorkshire Pudding for dinner! It was really really good! Dad's Flank Steak is always good but this was exceptional - cooked just right and the marinade made a crispy layer on the outside. Yorkshire {Pudding was wonderful as usual. We also had asparagus - L and I will eat the stems and Mom prefers the flower end - same with broccoli. I helped clear the table and clean the dishes and then it was time for dessert. I made individual cheesecakes - they turned out really well! I think I have found my new specialty! This time around not one cheesecake cracked - served them with fresh strawberries and whipped cream.

I didn't bring Chrissy with me - she was being a pain earlier in the day - I was feeling kinda sorry for her though because she had been in the kitchen for so long. Well - that feeling went away when she so excitedly greeted me at the front door! My little escape artist! I kept asking her how long she had been out but she was not telling! Neither of the cats would spill the beans either.

De

Just Some Observations

2011-04-22T22:20:00.000-07:00

What has happened to the smile and wave? It used to be that when you let a car go in front of you or the car to your right go first at a 4-way stop or the person waiting to cross the parking lot at the grocery store - you would get a smile and nod or a smile and wave. I don't get those anymore.

To the young gal working at the drive-thru window tonight - I didn't appreciate when I asked you for a straw your response of rolling the eyes, the huffy attitude, the response of "I put one in the bag" as you grabbed a straw and shoved it at me out the window. I'm not new to ordering at drive-thrus - I checked the bag before I asked you and There Was No Straw!!

It cost me $40 to fill-up my car this morning! When I drove pass the Klahanie Chevron station my mouth dropped - The price is now at 4.05/gal!! Ridiculous!!

When I am depressed is the perfect time to go to Michael's - I have no motivation to be creative so I don't spend money on tons of beads. I was able to go in - get the one thing I needed - and leave.

Bed, Bath, and Beyond is just as dangerous to wander through as Target. Impulse shopping trip netted me Pedi-Paws for trimming the pets nails, a cute hedgehog toy for Chrissy, a brown basket like container to hold my magazines/remote/word search puzzles/pen by my bed, a large fruit slicer that is a larger version of the slicer that cuts apples into wedges - this one is for melons - perfect wedges of watermelon/cantaloupe/honeydew. Impulse shopping when depressed is not a good idea.

God knows when you need a hug and he provides for you - I hardly ever see anyone I know at the QFC but tonight I ran in to Brother and Sister Bennett from church - they live in Preston so they're not usually at this QFC. It was exactly what I needed - I got great big hugs from both of them.

A Poem

2011-04-21T21:48:00.000-07:00

It comes out of nowhere
That thing that changes you in a flash
You go from laughing and enjoying life
To feeling worthless and crying

It hits you like the heat on a summer day
You can't breathe
A weight settles on you
Wrapping it's arms tightly around you

Sleep becomes your friend
Slowly pulling you into oblivion
The comfort makes you want to stay
No energy left for the fight

De

Heavens To Murgatroid!

2011-04-20T22:52:00.000-07:00

What a day what a day! I swear - sometimes I think I should try to record the phone calls I have with L just so I can replay them and prove that I'm not making this stuff up and to make sure I'm not crazy - that I am hearing her say the things she says - and so I can try to transcribe this correctly for my blog! Disclaimer - this may not be word for word but it is close enough and carries the basics!

The set-up is this: L is moving this week (that's a whole nuther story that I will get into another day) she has requested boxes and I told her I would try to get some from work - operative work being try - and I gave her some ideas on other places she could go to to get some. The other issue is the unemployment check that gets delivered to my house - the last conversation we had about this weeks was that she wanted me to leave it inside the house and she would come by and get it (she still has a key for now).

Text message sent to me last night at 1134: Can you drop my unemployment check off at my work tomorrow morning? Or at my place or something . . C is gonna take me to cash it when I'm off. I of course was asleep so I didn't get until this morning.

My response at 712: I'm not driving to work. I can leave it under the mat here and you can come by and get it.

L 821: Well c was gonna pick me up at my place . . . . how am I supposed to get boxes if your not driving.

As I was texting her back she called me at 822. A little on the impatient side much! So here's how the convo went:

L: Have you left for work yet?
De: Yeah - I'm almost to the park and ride
L: How am I supposed to get boxes?
De: I told you I haven't found any boxes yet and I'm not gonna drive everyday hoping to find some.
L: I need to get out of my place what am I supposed to do?
De: Not really my problem
L: How am I supposed to get my check
De: If C is taking you to cash your check it's not that far out of the way to get it from my place.
L: I'm in Seattle why didn't you just bring my check with you?
De: I didn't know you were in Seattle
L: I told you I was going to K's
De: Well how was I supposed to know that. Also - the last thing I knew you wanted to pick the check up at my house. You know what - you are moving in to an apartment so you need to just get the address on this check changed to your new address.
L: I texted you that C was picking me up from my house and taking me to cash my check.
De: You texted me at 1130 - I was asleep
L: Why can't you just drive
De: Gas and Parking are too much
L: What am I supposed to do - why are you getting all huffy

There was more of her trying to get me to change my plans - I just hung up and have not heard from her since.

There was some other stuff that happened today but I am really tired - it took me too long to write this because I was watching the movie Whip It while writing this - now it's 1100 and I so need to go to bed so I can get up and go to work in the morning. Oh - and - Whip It is a really cute movie!!

De

4.01

2011-04-19T21:44:00.000-07:00

Besides empty wallets and the possibility of needing a second mortgage just to pay for gas these days there is another issue that has arisen from the rise in gas prices ($4.01 in Issaquah today) - the dreaded New Bus Riders!!

These are the people who have never taken public transportation - or at least not on any consistent basis. They don't know the rules or else they think they are above them. My two pet peeves about new riders - the "I should be able to get on when I want to" and the "I want to share my music with everyone" riders!!

This morning at the park and ride - the regular riders were lining up waiting for the bus - the 8:05 bus is a popular time so there are a lot of people. When the bus pulls up - opens it doors - we start filing on - there is a lady who just came out from the parking area and just steps right in front of me and on to the bus! WTH!! So not cool! The voices in my head got a little loud and said "What, you think you should just be able to cut in front of all of us who have been waiting in line!" Luckily - either the voice wasn't too loud or else she was hard of hearing because she didn't respond at all.

Tonight on the way home I had the pleasure of sitting next to a young rider - probably early twenties - who was enjoying listening to her iPod and thought everyone around her wanted to listen too! She had her ear buds in but the sound was turned up soooo loud! Even with the sound of the bus wheels on the road I could still hear the music. There is even a sign on the bus saying to please keep the sound down - not to share with your neighbors!

This surge in new riders is going to drive me insane! I definitely need to work on keeping my thoughts to myself - and I probably should wear my ear buds so I don't have to listen to everyone around me.

De

Sissy Has Gone Home

2011-04-18T21:37:00.000-07:00

Niki and Chrissy are looking around for C - they want to know where their new friend went. We all enjoyed having her visit.

Saturday the family was reunited! C and I trekked on up to La Conner to be with the parents. We loaded up Chrissy and headed off around 1030 - of course the first stop was Starbucks for C - McDonalds for a Large Coke for me. The Garmin gave us a time that we would arrive there and the goal was to beat that time! Took 5 minutes off - got there in one piece. We listened to the Mariners lose their game on the way up. The tulips haven't poked their heads out yet so we didn't see any fields - there was one field of color off in the distance when we drove towards La Conner - but not like it usually is. I will be heading up again next weekend so it will be interesting to see if there is more color. Dinner was at the Tav - C got her Fish and Chips! When we got back to the house Mom told us there were 24 Easter Eggs hidden - Easter Egg Hunt!! Yay!! As C posted on FB - We are always kids when we go home. I found my 12 eggs way before C did! It was sooo much fun! Sunday we had a nice breakfast with Mom and Dad - then we drove home - beat the Garmin by 5 min again! Either I am really good or the Garmin is off by 5 min!

It was back to work today after dropping C off at the airport. It was nice to have the time off - and there wasn't too much on my desk to get caught up with - just mail/invoices - so, same old, same old!

Now it's bedtime - at least for me - if Chrissy had her way we would be up for a couple more hours for playtime - I didn't get home until 800 tonight so she is wanting to run run run! Oh well - my house my rules! And she and Buffy are getting on my nerves!

De

Sissy's Here

2011-04-15T20:11:00.000-07:00

Sissy got here yesterday - flight was an hour late because it was delayed in TX. Only had to drive around the Arrival Loop at the airport twice though so not bad. First stop was at McDonalds - L was working - she was able to take her break while we were there. We got there and she had her back to us - I called her name - she said why is everyone yelling my name today - I responded with "Because your mother is here!" She turned around and was "Oh!!" Came out and hugged C then proceeded to tell us how she was really hung over because she had gotten hammered the night before - she parties hard all the time! We ordered our food - I got 50% off because I am her Mom! Then we sat down and ate until she was able to come out on her break. Most of her conversation revolved around drinking - getting hammered - being wasted! She just knows how to make her mama proud . . . . . Not!

After McDonalds we went to my place - had to turn up the heat and turn on the fire - C was a bit chilled - she never took her coat off!! We then met with one of her friends for dinner at Cucina Cucina - good food - good conversation - they had good wine - and I had a strawberry lemonade!

This morning I woke up once at 515 and then again at 9! I thought C had probably been up for a while but she said nope - she had just gotten out of bed too. We got ready - made a stop at Sbux - then headed to Bellevue Square. Did some shopping - steered clear of the Apple Store - I Do Not Need An iPad!! I get into trouble in that store when I am with Sissy - I think she is secretly on their payroll and gets commission on anything she can talk me into getting. Every Apple item I have I've gotten when I was with her! After shopping we went and saw a movie - Source Code w/Jake Gylenhal - it was a good movie. Some action - some suspense - and a real mind bender. Then it was off to the UW Bookstore - it was awful!! They don't sell WSU stuff there anymore so I was surrounded by Dawgs and Purple! It was horrible!!

For dinner tonight we went and tried a newer place in Issaquah - Field of Champions Bar and Grill - we decided to order a few appetizers to share - Onion Rings, Potato Skins, Chicken Quesadilla - she had a beer and I had a coke. The beer looked so good though - it was tough and tempting - but I stayed with my soda. The appetizers were really good and when the bill came we realized that we had ordered during Happy Hour (M-F 3-6) so the appetizers were half off!! Nice!!

Now we are home - sitting on the couch watching the Mariners game. Sissy is in her sweats underneath the comforter from my bed!! Me - I'm in sweat bottoms and a T-shirt! Too Funny!

The plan for tomorrow is to head up to Mom and Dads and to hopefully see some Tulips. We'll see - its been wet and cold so I'm not sure if there are very many blooming yet.

De

Yellow Is Expensive

2011-04-13T20:31:00.000-07:00

Well . . . . . that little yellow check engine light in my car turned out to be rather expensive!! I Hate Car Problems!!! They're never simple and they're never cheap! Diagnostics, oil change, brake inspection $150 - the little yellow light was for a failed fuel injection sensor $380 - front brake replacement/smoothing of rotors $340 - Alignment $90 - usually this little list would end with something that was priceless . . .but nothing was priceless today! The only 2 positives out of this were - I got a mile walk in today because of walking to the park and ride after dropping off my car and then picking it back up - the weird sound my tires were making on the drivers side were from a hubcap rubbing on the tire.

Right now I am watching Survivor - I Love Rob - He is my boy! Best line so far tonight - The Mariano Crime Syndicate!! He instituted a Buddy System so no one in the alliance would be left on their own to be approached by other tribe members. Too Funny! I won't ruin the show by saying who gets voted out tonight - but these tribal councils are so entertaining! Ooooohhhhh - it's a double tribal council tonight! This could be very interesting.

OK - I need to go take care of my bedroom - try to make it look not so cluttered! Sissy is here tomorrow.

De

Tomorrow Is My Friday!

2011-04-12T21:05:00.000-07:00

Sissy's here on Thursday! Yay! I have been working to try and get the house to not look so "hoardy"! It's not perfect but I think it looks better than it did last time she was here! I still have one more night before she's here so we will see what all I can get done. At least she has a room to stay in - it might be bright green but it has a Futon, Internet, and a TV! What more could you ask for.

Tomorrow I get to drop off my car to be looked at - check engine light! Keep your fingers crossed that it's not something that will cost me an arm and a leg - not sure I have anymore to pay with! Also hope it's something that can be fixed in a day - otherwise I will need to rent a car to go pick up Sissy!! I could rent a sports car - we could be 2 Gals on the Town!!

I will give an update tomorrow!!

De

Let's Recap

2011-04-06T22:31:00.000-07:00

I think at least once a month I have to do the obligatory catch up post!! So here it goes:

L

Still livin' under that lucky start - she had no cash but did have a lottery scratch ticket worth $1. She turned it in at her Chevron station for another ticket - won another $1! Turned that one in for another ticket - won $10!! Turned it in for a pack of cigarettes! Really! She is low on cash and out of thin air she gets $10 - I'm low on cash and all I get are bills!
Her old boyfriend E sent her a text over the weekend just wanting to chat. Wanted to know if she had a new boyfriend - she said not really - he then wanted to know if they could "hang out". The quotes mean that he was really trying to get a Booty Call!!! He told her that he missed that part. She told him he was crazy and that absolutely NOT! Good for her - Stupid Creep!
She does have a new boyfriend - C. Not sure where the met up - they just hang out together. Not sure if they also "hang out" and I am so not going to ask! Sometimes it is just better not to know!
Work is going well for her - she is getting more hours next week so hopefully that means things are picking up. She has been there for 7 Months! Yay!
She turns 21 in 5 weeks! Who would have thought we'd ever get there.

Chrissy

She will chew on absolutely anything and everything. She has gotten rather sneaky about it too. She finds the items she wants to chew up - brings it out to the living room - and chews on it right next to one of her toys with her back to me so if I look over there it looks like she is chewing on one of her own toys. But Oh No - closer look when she really gets in to it - I find hair bands - her sweater - kitchen towel - my underwear! Yes you read that last one correctly!! She gets into my laundry basket and chews up my underwear! Thank goodness they're only from Target and not very expensive.
She got a much needed bath this week. She is so fluffy now and smells sooooo good!

My sleep patterns have been disrupted - for some reason I can't go to sleep at night and then I can't get up in the morning! It's like being bipolar - reved up and full of energy at night but slow and tired in the morning. I prefer the Morning Person I was and not this Night Owl!
Cooking - well actually Baking! I have been baking a lot lately - last week I made my very first Original Cheesecake which turned out pretty good. When I was baking it though I had forgotten to put a baking sheet underneath it so when the butter in the crust heated up it melted and dripped down to the bottom of the oven. Tonight I am baking something new - I turned on the oven to preheat it and when I opened the door to put the crust in - my kitchen filled with smoke from the burning butter on the bottom of the oven!! Good Grief!! I opened the back door and am trying to air the house out - one good thing I can say about this - Thank Goodness I need to replace the batteries in my smoke detectors!! Oh - and when I opened the back door I discovered an inch of snow on my deck!!
I discovered a new App for my iPhone - Stumbleupon - it's an app that lets you literally surf the web - kinda like Channel Surfing on the TV. You choose your favorite categories on the App - like cooking, animals, books, etc - and then when you click on the icon it surfs the web to find articles, pics, or videos that match your likes! When you're done with the first one - you tap the icon again and "surf" to the next one. It's very fun and that's where I got the recipe for what I'm baking tonight Warm Toasted Marshmallow S'more Bars.
I have one weekend left to try and get my house in some kind of shape before Sissy gets here next week. Last year the house looked like they were filming an episode of Hoarders and . . . . . well . . . . . it hasn't really gotten much better. Some of the stuff from last year has been moved or gotten rid of - but it was replaced with new stuff. I so need someone to just come in - clear it all out - haul it down the stairs - and let me start from scratch! Raise Your Hand if you want to help . . . . . anyone . . anyone!

OK - off to finish the treat for tomorrow.

De

Go Go Go

2011-03-31T22:47:00.000-07:00

My Goodness - this has been a long day!! Caught the 715 bus - work, work, work - stupid spreadsheet that gives me fits every single month end!!! Then caught 515 bus back to Issaquah - which at this point it would have been a quick trip home and I would have lots of time to do what needed to be done tonight - but nope - I got to go back towards Bellevue - pick up L - plus two of her friends which I wasn't expecting - took them back to Issy so L could cash her check - then it was over to her McDonald's so she could pick up food with her 50% discount - then back to her house - then finally back home. Got home about 715! Now - would be nice if I could sit down and relax but I needed to walk Chrissy - clean the kitchen - make 2 desserts for Kimmie's Birthday at work tomorrow!

Made the Lemon Blueberry one first - took about 30 minutes to prepare then it had to bake for an hour. Next it was time to tackle a regular Cheesecake - not as easy as I thought it was going to be - not to mention the fact that the baking process takes forever!! Got it all put together and in the oven at 10pm - bake for 15 minutes at 425* - turn down to 275* and bake for another hour - then turn the oven off and leave it in there for 2 hours without opening to door - then put it in the refrigerator!!! Which basically means that this whole process won't be done until 115 am!! Yeah - I'm thinking I will just set my alarm for the two hour part - get up - put it in the refrigerator and then go back to bed!

Last night was a late night too! I had my first RS Committee meeting for church - we plan the additional monthly meetings for Relief Society - pretty much an Activity Committee which I am perfect for! The committee is fairly small so I will be able to get to know some of the members a little better. The meeting went a little later than planned so I didn't get home until 900 - which meant that poor Miss Chrissy had been in the kitchen for 14 hours!! She was more than a little hyper!! When I took her outside she ate a bunch of grass - then threw up - yuck! She must have gotten in to something that upset her tummy because she hadn't eaten anything during the day - but once she puked she was fine - ate some dinner!

I am getting sleepy but I need to stay up until time to turn off the oven!! I certainly hope everyone likes the cheesecake - I'm gonna be so mad if it doesn't turn out!!

De

Hmmm . . . . .

2011-03-29T22:09:00.000-07:00

Ahhhhhhhh . . . . . . . deep sigh. There's been some back and forth with L over the last couple days that has just kinda tired me out. Being her Mother is really hard and really exhausting! My thoughts are some sayings that a friend of mine on Facebook has posted - they seem to make me either go Hmm . . or laugh!

Sharks aren't bad guys. If some stranger entered my house in just a Speedo, I would probably attack them too!

Some people are like clouds . . . . When they disappear its a brighter day!

Spring really needs to stop impersonating Winter

When Vegetarians get nervous are they allowed to have Butterflies in their stomach

Never do anything you wouldn't want to explain to the paramedics

I need to stop saying "How Stupid Can You Be?" I think people are taking it as a challenge!

I have a button on my microwave that says "stop time". I assume it means the timer but I don't touch it just in case.

I'm going to try and get some much needed rest . . . . haven't been sleeping well the past few nights.

De

Thanks For The Help . . . But . . . . .

2011-03-27T20:50:00.000-07:00

The condo next to mine is for sale - they were having an open house today. I didn't know this until I got home from church and saw the signs up. When I got to my door I realized that my recycling was gone - I had the box outside the door so I could take it down to the bins by the dumpster. Now - I understand that real estate agent wanted to the landing to look nice - and I really did appreciate that someone had taken my recycling down for me - But . . . . . . . . . . . they crushed up and recycled my actual recycling box that I use to collect everything to make it easier to carry down the stairs!! Really - you couldn't just ask me to take it down - or have me move it inside until your open house was over - it's very hard to get big boxes that are sturdy that you can use for carrying items. I can always try to get another paper box from work - but I have to time it for when they replenish the paper and I drive - little hard to carry the box on the bus.

Today after church I made a double batch of spaghetti sauce and made a huge Spaghetti Lasagna - the Iss 3rd Ward was supplying food for a homeless shelter in Bellevue and I signed up to make a casserole. It has given me such a good feeling inside that I am helping out those in need. I hope they like the lasagna. I thought I would have some leftover to make a small one for myself but it took all of the sauce to fill up the 13 X 11 pan.

L sent me a text while I was on my way to drop off the lasagna - she was at work, had a headache from her wisdom teeth and wanted me to bring by something for the pain. I said sure seeing as I was already out and about. So I got there - she came out to get it - said I should so come get her at 9 and take her home! I said - Uh No - I don't think so. So I made my way home - via QFC because I was now craving some spaghetti. As soon as I started cooking L called - she had gotten off work early - I should so come get her so she wouldn't have to wait so long for her bus - it was 7 the next bus was 730 but she didn't think she would make it to her stop by then so she would then have to wait another hour. I said - No that I had just started cooking my dinner and had laundry to do. She gave me one of those heavy sighs and a - Fine, whatever - bye. Hung up on me. Must be tough when you think the world revolves around you and you don't get your way.

Watching Amazing Race right now - one of the three teams I chose to make it to the end is having a very hard time right now - My only hope is if this isn't an elimination round. They are in India right now - there are so many people - the drivers are crazy too - they don't care about red lights or pedestrians. I won't post the outcome here though - I don't want to give it away if a reader hasn't watched it yet.

OK - show is almost over - Miss Chris is laying on on the couch right next to me - all curled up. She's not quite the companion Muppet was - but she is starting to like to hang with me.

Night All - Have a good week.

De

Loved A Discovery of Witches

2011-03-26T12:26:00.000-07:00

Hi friends - I have been absent because I have been buried in my book - A Discovery of Witches. This book drew me in and wouldn't let me go. I just finished it and all I can think about is that the second book isn't going to be released until 2012 - How am I going to survive!! I love books that can draw you in and make you feel like you have been living in another world with the characters. I feel sad and alone now that the book is done. That was one good thing about Twilight - I didn't start reading it until all of the books were released so I could just keep moving through the story - how did readers do it when they had to wait so long for the next book!

Now I really need to get off my butt and do some chores around the house - seeing as everything was put on hold while I read. Just need to figure out where to start - my room? guest room? kitchen? bathrooms? Ugh - just thinking about it makes me tired! Maybe I should take a nap first!!!

De

The Award For Worst Monday . . . . . . . .

2011-03-21T22:12:00.000-07:00

Goes to ME!!!

Listed below are the things that happened today - if you can beat these let me know!!

Woke up this morning to Niki retching up her breakfast. She doesn't throw up in a nice pile - oh no - she has to sit up high on a chair or the couch and projectile vomit across the room!

When I got off the bus at Westlake this morning - the longest/steepest escalator was out of service so I had to walk up the stairs.

I got a call from L - in tears - her rent money was stolen! She was going to have to move out. Supposedly they all put there rent money in envelopes with their names on them and post them on a board in the house. She got a text this morning saying they never received her rent. Yes - she pays with cash so no way to trace it.

Came home to find that the cats - not sure which one so I am going to blame them both - had peed on my bed!! WTH!! Soaked through the comforter - blanket - sheet - to the mattress.

While I was putting the comforter in the wash - Chrissy decided she was not happy that she was still in the kitchen so she peed on the floor right next to her puppy pad. She also had thrown up in the kitchen during the day.

Discovered that what Chrissy threw up was the foam from inside her bed - which she had torn up!

Ugh . . . . . .I hope tomorrow is better.

D

A Mother Knows

2011-03-20T19:31:00.000-07:00

Saturday was going to be chore day - I had planned on working on the spare room - trying to get it in shape for Sissy's visit next month. So I got up - had some breakfast - played with Chrissy - I was ready. Ring . . . Ring . . . . Ring . . . . . Mom, can you come pick me up from work and take me home, I'm sick. I could hardly understand her - her voice was awful. She had called in sick but was told she needed to come in because other people had already called in. She was there for an hour and then they decided she really shouldn't be there and sent her home. So I went to pick her up. She looked awful!! Pale, Glazed Eyes, Could hardly talk. When she had tried to call in sick her fever was at 101.7!!

I stopped at the Albertsons by her house and picked her up some juice, Tylenol, water, and Popsicles. When I got back out to the car she was just laying there - she looked so pitiful. I asked to look at her tonsils - swollen - almost touching each other - and those nasty white spots! This was not going to be a simple virus she could just rest and get rid of. So it was back to Issaquah because that was the closest Urgent Care. It was packed! Hour long wait. Now - L has no insurance so I was a bit worried about how much this was going to cost. L said - you can ask them how much and if it's too much you can just bring me back home. Yeah - I don't think so. So she filled out the paperwork and we waited. When they called her name I had her go back by herself - she's old enough that her Mommy doesn't need to see the Doctor with her! She wasn't back there for very long - L said that the Doctor took one look at her throat and said Oh Yeah - you have strep. No Strep test needed - you even have the pus pockets - do you want to see! They had her swallow a medicine that would help to take the swelling down - and put her on Penicillin. If you pay the full amount up front you get a 20% Discount - so the visit was only $125 - I was surprised!! I thought it would be more. Now it was off to Walgreen's to get the prescription. Thank God for generics - only $13!!

So that pretty much took care of my Saturday. Today - after church - I just was not motivated at all. I napped!! Now the weekend is over and I did none of my chores! I so need a cleaning crew to just come in - clean it from top to bottom - haul away the junk - so I can start fresh.

Oh - and because L's work made her go in even though she was sick - and highly contagious - she probably infected a bunch of people because she was in the second drive-thru window handing people their drinks and food. Kinda makes you not want to go to fast food!!

De

Rain Rain Go . . .

2011-03-18T17:44:00.001-07:00

Yeah - so not gonna go away - it's Seattle!! It was so nice outside at lunch time - WTH happened! I am soaked and I still have 20 freakin' minutes until the dang bus gets here. I usually catch the 218 in the bus tunnel - warm, dry, cozy. Not today though.

I really wanted to rent Life As We Know It - well it wasn't available at any of the Redboxes by my house but it was at the one on 3rd and Pike. So I reserved it thinking no big deal I'll just catch the 554 on second - it was nice after all! Sure didn't stay that way - and I couldn't cancel the rental!! So one just sittin' here - getting wet - fun Friday night!

De

Fugeddabouti

2011-03-17T20:46:00.000-07:00

Yo Yo Yo - how you doin? My name is Big Joey! I's been hired by D to do some "collectin" for her - that dame has a big heart but is a bit naive to the ways of the real world. Yous know what I mean - she likes to believe the best in people - thinks people will do the right thing when they give their word. Wells - the poor girl loaned out some money to a dead beat who just hasn't been payin - has even been avoiding her so's they wouldn't have to look her in the eyes and lie. Yous see, this particular dead beat is a relative - now's me, Lefty, and Knuckles have told her the rule - Never Loan Money To Relatives - you might as well kiss it good-bye. She tried to do some collectin on her own but after the last few days she's had enough. Let me break it down for you . . . . . . . oh oh oh . . . . don't be scared - I's wasn't going to really break anything! I's meant I would shorten the story for yous.

The "dead beat" owes some money borrowed over the past couple months - each time givin' their word it would be paid back next pay day. Nows - everytime D tried to collect she was told the money was for rent and the debt would be paid next time. D - being the nice dame that she is - didn't want the person to be on the street. So's she extended the payback period. Nows durin' this extended period - this person went out and bought some clothes and a new tattoo. This is not keepin your word - or doin right by your family. A collection phone call today did not bring forth any results - other than being told she was persistent, gettin "bitchy", and stressin' this person out.

So's I will be takin over this "little" problem - puttin' the relative on a payment plan - and if a payment is missed . . . . . . . . . . wells . . . . . . . . . lets just say . . . . . . . . . we'll have a sit-down!

Big Joey

It's Been A Year

2011-03-16T21:04:00.000-07:00

Thank you Lord for providing me with something to do tonight that needed my undivided attention so I didn't have a chance to sit and think.

Today marks the 1 year anniversary of Muppet's death. I still miss her so very much. I know to some people she was just a dog - a pet - nothing more. To me she was a friend. Her absence is felt every day.

I Love and Miss You Miss Muppet.

This Made Me Cry

2011-03-16T12:42:00.000-07:00

You forget that its not just people effected by disasters.

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I Miss My Hour

2011-03-15T21:09:00.000-07:00

Not sure why it affects me - I mean it's just an hour - but it really messes me up. I got to bed at my regular time but then when the alarm goes off - it's like, really . . . . it's morning already . . . . I'll just hit snooze once . . . . OK - I can sleep until quarter past - well maybe half past is better - Just one more snooze. I did get out of here at a good time this morning - got to work at 730 - early enough to have some quiet work time but too late to have some work in the dim lights time. I like it before the bright fluorescent lights get turned on - just my desk light - it's very calming and peaceful.

Missed church on Sunday - woke up with a major sinus headache and a cold in my eye. I slept most of the day away. The ward is definitely a family and when a member is missing other members will check up on you. I received two emails making sure I was OK. Nice to know I am missed - if I ever fall and can't get up someone will miss me.

Day 6 of riding the bus - Yay me! I was able to finish a book, Labyrinth by Kat Richardson last week - I have been trying to read this one since Christmas. I started A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness yesterday - so far so good - it moves kinda slow but not so slow that you lose interest - more like slow that makes you want to read it faster so you can get the story moving along. I like having that time to read - and I have now saved $72 by not parking in Seattle!!

Right now I am watching Glee - Love This Show!! I can't say much about what's going on cuz I know a few people who read my blog record Glee and watch it later - let me just say - you will not be disappointed! Lots of hype about New Directions singing Original Songs - which are great - but there is also a side story that "mmphm mubble mphme thmphfm" I put my hands over my mouth and mumbled it so I wouldn't spoil it for you!!

Chrissy is in the process of destroying yet another one of her toys - She has rediscovered her Crinkly Christmas Moose and is working very hard to pull all of the crinkly noise makers out of the ears. She's already pulled the squeakers out of a couple of her toys - she is a one pup destruction crew! Oh - and so like L when she was a toddler too - no sooner do I get all of the toys picked up and put back in the baskets she goes back around and pulls them all out - she doesn't play with them all - she just wants them on the floor spread out every where. And now she is hiding more socks - I have no more matching pairs because she only hides one from each pair. Yes . . . . . I think she does this on purpose . . . . . . . . hoping that maybe I won't leave for work and she can hang out on the couch all day . . . . . . . . Not Gonna Happen!

De

Friday - It's About Time!

2011-03-11T21:09:00.000-08:00

Going on 3 days without having to reboot my wireless router! And I have connection in my bedroom! I think there were 2 reasons I was having issues - Crappy Router and an unsecured network! I think other people were using my Internet which put a load on the router! I now have a better router and my network is secure! Yay me!

Fairly uneventful week - it did seem to drag though - not sure why. I got up early this morning and got into work at 645 - I had forgotten how quiet it is in the office that early - it was nice. Of course, now that I am getting to a point where I can get up that early again it's time to lose an hour! I am thinking I may change my clocks tomorrow so that I get to bed earlier so I can get up for church on Sunday - seeing as getting up at 700 is really going to be getting up at 600 - ugh . . . .

I have had a feeling of anxiety in the back of my head for a few days - you know that feeling that you have forgotten something important. It is making me chew my lip!! I'm gonna have Angelina Jolie lips soon if I don't get this under control. I never noticed I had this nervous tick before - I think it might be new - I think I used to clench my teeth - not sure which is worse. Any readers have a nervous tick?

Oh . . . . so Lent started on Wednesday and I was trying to decide what to give up - thinking it would be Fountain Coke - which I Love!! Then - found out from Jason that we - meaning Mormons - don't observe Lent! Yay - no giving anything up! But - I will try to cut back on the Fountain Coke - in fact - I didn't have any on my way on to work this week until today - and I rode the bus everyday but today - so it was a good week.

No real plans for the weekend yet - my contacts came in so I need to run up to the eye doctor tomorrow to pick them up. I should do some grocery shopping too - I have nervous energy these days - I think I need to bake!! Maybe I will try something new - or something I haven't made in awhile. Oh - and Starbucks stole my idea!! They are now selling Cake Balls on a Stick!! I could have been rich!! That's me - A Day Late and A Dollar Short!

My Sissy is coming to visit in a month! Yay! Very excited and then I thought Oh Crap - Now I need to clean my house! Last year it looked like they were filming an episode of Hoarders and it's not looking that much better. Guess I know what I will be doing for the next few weekends! Unless . . . . . . . Hey C - last year you said you could clean the house and get it organized in a week - wanna extend your vacation and give your little sister a helping hand!!

De

Mom Credit Card

2011-03-09T06:08:00.000-08:00

I am actually sitting in bed and blogging on my Mac!! I finally broke down and went to Best Buy to get a new router hoping it would fix my connectivity problems - I was having to reset the darn thing every time I came home or got up in the morning as well as not being able to connect in my room on the Mac. Well - the new router fixed the problems - the connection is so fast too. The next test will be if I can connect tomorrow night when I get home.

I met L at her work tonight - gave her the check that was in the mail and a package that was delivered for her - she ordered something from Hot Topic. In the past week she has gotten her IRS refund, a paycheck, and 2 unemployment checks. She owes me $150 and told me she couldn’t pay me yet because she had to pay rent. After she tells me this she proceeds to tell me that yesterday she got another tattoo!! How is it she can’t afford to pay me back yet she can afford to go shopping! I know what she’s thinking – why do I want to pay Mom when I’m not going to get anything in return – forgetting that she already got the return when I gave her the money in the first place. Tough thing to learn – credit! I believe she has hit her credit limit on the Mom Card and will not be getting anymore loans from me.

Her new tattoo is kind of cool though – she got a small peacock feather tattooed behind her right ear. A weird spot – but it looks nice – small – good colors.

De

***Update - my Internet connection went out while I was writing this last night. Had to reset the Internet this morning. I am thinking it might be my DSL Box. Great - that will require a call and an all day wait for Comcast!**

Good Day

2011-03-07T20:37:00.000-08:00

Today was a good day! Rode the bus to work - was calm and happy all day - came home and didn't immediately lay down on the couch!!

I credit God with this turn around. Yesterday was Fast Sunday - during my Fast I asked for help coming to terms that there are some things I have no control over and to have the ability to just let them go. When I woke up this morning I just had a sense of peace. I haven't felt like this in quite awhile. I believe that Fasting and Prayer works.

De

Tone

2011-03-06T21:02:00.000-08:00

I can't stop thinking and worrying about something that happened on Friday. I snapped at someone who was just asking a question - wanted to know if I was going to be doing something - but what I heard was Why isn't this done yet. And before I could filter myself I answered back in a snippy voice - I was not very nice. I went back and apologized but I can't stop stressing about it. I so did not mean to do that. Have you ever said anything to someone that either came out wrong or you used a snotty tone - later you regret it?

This person probably has already let it go - I on the other hand am having a tough time doing that. That's me - worry wart!

My motto for this week: Don't worry about the things I have no control over and cannot change - Focus on me and do the best I can.

I will also take deep breaths before answering questions and work on my filter.

De

Things That Make Me Wonder

2011-03-03T21:48:00.000-08:00

I just have one random question to ask.

Why is it that you don't have to pee until you pull into your parking spot at home and then you have to go really really bad?

I Had Fun

2011-03-02T21:09:00.001-08:00

I'm out walking Chrissy - it's dark, cold, and she's in the mood to sniff around. Home late again tonight but not because of work - it was the monthly Relief Society gathering. Tonight it was an International dinner. Sisters brought dishes from different countries. It was a lot of fun. I actually remembered names and faces! Now I have to stay up for a bit and login to work to do some month end stuff. Well worth it though to have a fun evening with friends.

De

Where Am I

2011-03-01T20:10:00.001-08:00

Guess where I am!! No . . . Not at home - which is where I would like to be. Guess again . . . Nope, not on my car either - which is a good thing seeing as I am typing. I am on the bus! Yup - 2 months in to the new year and I'm finally starting on a New Years Resolution!! Yay me!!

Because it's month end I was at work late tonight so I couldn't catch the 218 - I had to catch the 554 on 2nd and Pine - which required me to walk by the gang corner on 3rd where someone was stabbed a week or so ago. I had forgotten how incredibly creepy this bus stop is. I am thinking that next time I will go the extra blocks and catch it on University!

So - please raise your hand if you were one of the readers thinking that the blog has been too calm and quiet. You so need to stop doing that! I got to enjoy one of L's calls where she turns into a little shit because she's not getting her way and I'm not changing my plans. I seem to get calls like this about every 2 weeks - they coincide with her payday! Yup - she wanted me to take her to cash it tomorrow after work - well not only is it month end but I also have plans after work that will not leave me any wiggle room. She told me that maybe I shouldn't schedule things for right after work - she certainly wouldn't do that. Oh - she was also mad that I took the bus and didn't drive because she wanted me to stop by on my way home . . . For s nice visit you may be asking yourself . . . Uh no! She has no money and wanted me to bring her .75 so she could take the bus to work tomorrow!! I told her that she needed to figure things out and not rely on me . . . I know - I sound like a broken record! She told me it would be easier if she has a car. I pointed out that if she would have just gone to her court date she'd probably already have her license back. She got a bit snotty and commented that she still wouldn't have a car - to which I replied that she'd at least have the option to get a junker to drive around. Oh she was not happy with me!!

Other than that excitement it's been a good day. Time to get home - snuggle with the pup - and watch crazy Charlie Sheen on 20/20!!

Night -

De

**Pardon any spelling errors - I am posting this from my phone**

Crazy Ride

2011-02-27T21:15:00.000-08:00

Well . . . . . . . I never said what day at 11 you would get the rest of the story!! I am feeling more myself tonight - still a bit amped up but that's to be expected while my body gets back on a regular schedule. What a crazy ride!

I didn't really realize anything was wrong until Friday - I had the worst case of vertigo - I felt like I had tied one on the night before. In the morning I though that maybe it was sinuses - but it got worse throughout the day and didn't feel quite like that. So I sat at my desk thinking - I realized I wasn't just extremely dizzy - I was also very irritable - talking a mile a minute - and my voice was getting loud. So . . . either I was drunk without drinking or I had missed my meds - Counting backwards to the last day I remembered taking them I realized I had gone a week - and it's not just my mood stabilizers but also my blood pressure meds I had forgotten. Things started to make sense - I now understood why I had felt a bit bipolar Friday - I must have been slightly entertaining! I don't know how people who are bipolar can function on a daily basis - this was such a high high - it tired me out. Next time this happens I want it to be on a weekend so I can just ride it out and not have to try and function at work - did I mention it makes me talk a mile a minute - the filter gets removed and words just come spilling out! If you watched Glee last week then this will make sense . . . . there are different types of girls and I was the over talkative one.

So what have I learned - 1) Even when I have days off or work from home due to illness and/or snow - I need to stay on some type of schedule! 2) Dizziness - Headaches aren't always a sign of being sick. 3) My meds actually are working

So - yes - I am back on schedule - should be good to go as I enter into this week of Month End Close.

Right now I am watching the Oscars - haven't seen most of the movies that are winning tonight - but I like to watch the show and root for actors that I like. What do you think of this years show? I miss the good old days of Billy Crystal. They need to find another person like that - might I suggest Neil Patrick Harris! I want someone who will entertain me!

Took Nikki back to the vet yesterday for her recheck - no congestion and seems to be feeling good - I was happy not only because she's better but also because the recheck appointment was free! I can tell she's better because she actually tried to get Chrissy to play with her! Very very sweet - I looked over and she had her paw on Chrissy's neck and was gumming her face - remember she has no teeth so she couldn't really bite her! She stopped and Chrissy started scooting closer to her and nudging Nikki's paw with her head - she wanted to keep playing.

Well - no surprises so far in the big awards - Best Actress Natalie Portman and Best Actor Colin Firth. So will it be The Kings Speech or The Social Network for Best Picture. . . . . Commercial!! I'm going to throw my jeans in the dryer - brb......ok back . . . . . . . and the winner is . . . . . . no surprise . . . . . . The King's Speech. People that I know that have seen it say it is a good movie. It looks kinda stuffy to me . . . . . . maybe I will wait for it to come out on DVD.

Now it's time to watch The Amazing Race . . . . I so need my teams to win so I can be the winner in the Pick 'em Pool at work - no money on the line just pride and getting to have the trophy on my desk until the next season - the trophy is the Travelocity Gnome! One of my teams is in last place right now - I almost picked the Father/Son team and I am so glad now that I didn't - I don't think they are going to physically make it to the end. Oh man - I am so nervous as to what team is going to be out - I am watching this on my DVR so I could just fast forward to the end . . . . then go to bed . . . sounds like a plan to me! I Love Fast Forward on the DVR!! Now I know how it ended and I can go to bed. Plan is to get up early tomorrow so I can get in before it gets busy and get some work done!

Have A Good Week! So glad my crazy ride is over!

De

Unintentional Withdrawal

2011-02-25T17:55:00.001-08:00

Ever wondered what happens if you forget to take your depression meds for a week? Story at 11!

The Rest of The Story

2011-02-22T22:18:00.001-08:00

Over the weekend L kept talking about how it sucked she had to work on President's Day - she knew it was a holiday. Yesterday while at work she posted that it sucked she had to work on a Federal Holiday - so she knew it wasn't just a regular Holiday. She sent me messages about whether I could take her to cash last weeks check and the check that should be in the mail on Tuesday - which is the day it is usually here. Told her I couldn't - she made other arrangements - I left last weeks check and the mail key on the table inside the door for her.

That's the background - here's the phone conversation that happened this afternoon:

Me - "Hi. Was your check in the mail."
L - "No" (followed by irritated sigh)
Me - "Probably because there was no mail yesterday."
L - "Well that would have been nice to know!"
Me - "I thought you knew. You knew yesterday was a Federal Holiday."
L - "You always remind me of these things. I don't remember this stuff. What a waste of time."
Me - "You're almost 21 don't you think you should know this stuff?"
L - "NO! You should know that you need to tell me these things!"

Yeah - it kinda went downhill from there. I swear I have had conversations like this with her before. It's like Deja Vu and Groundhog's Day!

De

Federal Holiday

2011-02-22T16:56:00.001-08:00

If I were to tell you that today was a Federal Holiday - and you are almost 21 years old - would it be an issue that I thought you knew that meant there wouldn't be any mail delivery?

Tune in this evening for the rest of the story!!

De

4-Day Weekend

2011-02-21T20:13:00.000-08:00

Ahh . . . . . My 4 Day weekend was so good! I didn't get all the organizing done that I wanted to but that's OK - I feel rejuvenated!

Friday:

I slept in - well it was sleeping in to me - I got up at 8! Niki had a vet appointment at 9:30. The appointment went fine - she doesn't have asthma - she doesn't have kitty leukemia - just has really bad sinus issues. So she got two shots - antibiotic and then a steroid shot in her butt! She was not happy about that when - turned her head really quick like she was going to bite Dr Brar - neither one of us flinched though because we know she's harmless - Toothless Wonder that she is! Sent me home with two prescriptions - $250 later we were on our way! Got home - needed to give Niki her Antihistamine pill - this did not go well at all!! Thought I had a good hold on her legs - Uh No! She got me good with her back legs - I have a very deep scratch on my arm. No Good Deed Goes Unpunished!

Cat Scratch!

I met Kim - from church - for Jamba Juice. Then I went and did some quick shopping at Walgreens then it was off to see Bonnie for a much needed haircut! Bonnie has been on Maternity Leave since Thanksgiving so it had been quite awhile since I had a haircut. After that it was time to play Mom - L got that nasty cold virus that is going around - fever, sinuses, earache - so I put together a care package and brought it over to her. Meds - Juice - Soup - Crackers - Water - Word Puzzles - Coloring Book - Crayons! I think this could be another line of work - I love making care packages.

Saturday:

Got up around 730 - I had an eye appointment at 930. My eyesight - left eye better, right eye a teeny tiny bit worse - found out that the blurring when I wear my contacts had nothing to do with my eyesight - it was the type of contact lens I was wearing! They gave me a different brand to try out over the weekend and it works so much better! So I will get a new contacts prescription. I wanted new glasses too - but my insurance for new glasses doesn't kick in until June so I have to wait until then. That's OK - they tightened up my current glasses and replaced the nose pads so I can wait.

Got home and decided to get some of the bigger chores out of the way. I actually cleaned out the pantry and the refrigerator, pulled everything out of the refrigerator - including the shelves - and washed everything down! It had been awhile since I did this - years - if you go by the expiration date of some of the condiments found in the back of the fridge!

Next task was the scary second bedroom! I honestly felt like I should be wearing a hazmat suit in there! I was able to clear out the garbage - a couple bags of clothing - and vacuum the rug. Thar carpet in there is so disgusting!! L was definitely not careful when she was in there - spots everywhere from spilling God knows what. There was also an awful lot of black ashy substance - I believe she was smoking in there and/or cleaning out illegal smoking apparatus. Gross!!! If I get a windfall of money, new carpet is going to be the first thing I buy!

Sunday:

Church and then a trip up to La Conner for dinner with Mom and Dad! I miss Sunday Family Dinners! It was fun - good conversation and an excellent meal. It was also pointed out to me that there have been a few of my blogs lately making disparaging remarks about "old" people and their inability to work computerized items and their poor driving skills. I should have put a disclaimer on those blogs that they in know way are based on anyone I know personally or am related to! In other words - Mom and Dad you are excluded from my opinion of old people!!

Chrissy went with me up to La Conner - she was such a good pup up there. The only issue was when she went down the hall and came face to face with Tuggy - the big grey cat! We heard a big hiss and then Chrissy sliding across the wood floor trying to come back into the living room! Tuggy was so big - her fur was all fluffed up and it was standing on end down her spine!! Mom got her back into the bedroom and closed the door! It was pretty funny! Other than that Chrissy was all lovey - very excited to see her Nana and Papa - kept a close watch on Papa while he was outside at the barbecue!

Got home and then boxed up the donations from the second bedroom and the items that have been sitting in the dining room for quite awhile and hauled them downstairs for NWC to pick up Monday. So - my home still looks disorganized but at least the 2 worst jobs are done!

Monday:

Plan for today was to do some straightening up - yeah, ended up sleeping most of the day away. I guess that's OK - kinda what you should do when on "vacation" anyways - even if you are at home. So - it is now almost 800 and I have not done a darn thing today. The only two rooms in the house that look like accomplished anything are the two rooms I never use - dining room and second bedroom!!

De

Shoes

2011-02-17T21:50:00.000-08:00

Yay for Friday!! Well - for me it is Friday! There is something about a long weekend with no big plans that takes the weight off my shoulders! I hope to finally get my home life back on track and organized! I am also going to take care of a few things such as an eye appointment on Saturday and taking Nikki to the vets on Friday - There has to be something they can give her to control the wheezing and sneezing. She's been seen by Dr Hougham before - but seeing as I blame him for not realizing the extent of Muppet's illness and causing her to die an early death - I am going to have Dr Brar take a look at her and see what he has to say. Friday I am also meeting a friend from church for a Jamba Break and then I have a hair appointment with Bonnie. So I guess it's not totally a weekend with no plans - but it will be relaxing!

Yesterday I wore some new shoes to work - a cute pair of grey boots with a bit of a heel. I found them on the Payless Shoe website when I was looking for a new pair of shoes for church - you see, Chrissy thought my black flats looked good enough to eat . . . . . . . so she did . . . . . . . ate the back of the shoe right off! So anyways - Payless was having a BOGO 1/2 off sale and I found these cute boots. I'm not used to wearing heels anymore and so by the end of the day my feet were hurting a bit. My heel tolerance seems to have gone down the older I've gotten - back in my 20s I had a killer pair of red pumps - 3 inch heel - loved them! In my 30s I went down to about a 1 - 1 1/2 inch heel - looked nice with a skirt but didn't hurt the feet. Now that I'm in my 40s and the dress code at the office is very casual I wear flats - mostly tennis shoes. I thought the boots were soooo cute though - and would go with my jeans - and they did look really good. Next time I wear them - I will not walk a couple blocks to get lunch - for some reason - walking on the sidewalk made my feet hurt more than walking around the office. Beauty is Pain!

OK - time for bed

De.

My Life Is . . . . .

2011-02-14T21:34:00.000-08:00

Wow - I really suck at keeping up on this. I have every intention of writing when I get home - but sitting and doing nothing always seems to sound better once I get home. I do have a great L story to tell though so I am motivated to get this down!

On Friday afternoon I got a phone call from L - she was all in a panic - telling me she needed me to do her a really big favor - she wasn't getting paid until Wednesday - but she really needed me to help her out - she would pay me back when she got paid! My interest was piqued - so without saying yes or no I asked what happened - definitely expecting it to be something interesting! She asked me what time I was getting off work and could I bring her to Target - she needed to borrow some money to get a new phone . . . . . . . uh why?!? She dropped hers down the sewer!!!!! OMG!!! Who does that!! How does someone do that?!? Her and a friend at work were out having a smoke during their break - she thought she had put her phone in her pocket - opened her legs to stand up - the phone was in her lap - it fell right through the sewer grate - 5 ft down - splash into the water!!! To her it was a matter of life or death! It amazes me that someone who considers their phone their lifeline - would have so many problems keeping track of it. She has left it places, dropped it, and now sent it down the river - to the lake - to the slew - to the ocean! When I picked her up from work she was so upset - can't believe this day - can't believe this happened - I have nobody's numbers - I bet people have been trying to get a hold of me all day - they've probably sent texts that I will never get . . . . . . . . . . My Life Is In The Gutter!! I of course couldn't resist saying "Literally!" I laughed so hard - she did too.

She now has a new phone - she gets paid on Wednesday - I get paid on Wednesday.

De