Okay, Okay...

Well, maybe just a little bit o' bloggin'... a few posts here and there. I really did not intend to "fish" for a fan base and see who really was reading. I do feel like I have either too much to write about and cannot possibly get it all in here or I have nothing at all except the boring normal things of daily life and lately work work work.
I have had some interesting clients come in to the salon. The kinds of lives people have here in K-land. It's a money town for sure in the downtown area. Lots of amazing cars cruise up and down our street in front of the salon. Some of the cars I have never seen before because they are exotic or so expensive. NO ONE in the desert would have some of these Bentleys or Masaratis. I have had two clients that are actual chefs. Some clients only live here in the summer and somewhere else in the winter. Lots of clients are physicians, optometrists, etc. We also get a variety of international clients because of Microsoft. I have learned so much about Xbox, Windows, Twitter, Apps for smartphones, etc. I had a client with the coolest love story about her new husband. There is so much material for my future book.
I did an actual paying client set of extensions today. I did half of it and another stylist did the other half. She was the other stylist's client but we are not quite ready to go out on our own with a whole set of extensions. It went well, ran a little too long but I came away with a good feeling about them. The client was very happy and she was a great sport. It is such a long process to sit through so a happy fun client is always helpful. She did look great.
The girls have been doing great holding the fort down. Getting their chores done. Sid is going to be a football stat girl for her high school football team. She is so excited and so am I. We will be avid supporters and go to her games. I better get a parka and a rain hat and other rain wear to insure my comfort during these games.
I am having a hard time believing that I will have one child in High School and one child in Junior High School. I do not even know when it all happened. Yikes.
I am off tomorrow and am so very happy about that. This has been a crazy week, weird week, long week. I am glad that it is over and am ready to take on another week filled with welcome bouts of boredom and routine. I like it like that. Plain old boring, routine living, that' how I roll...

The End

I have been pondering this for quite sometime. I went back and forth and have made some half hearted attempts. I am not going to blog anymore... I may still blog but it wont be for public consumption. I will hold on to it as it serves as a "journal" during a pivotal time in my life. A little over a year's worth of joys and sadness, nerves, rants, amusement. I just don't feel too funny anymore and my blog lacks that certain writer's flair and humor. Work has taken up more of my time than I imagined and time has become a rare thing around here. I needed the therapy that my writing gave me and I needed to connect with friends and family that were going to be far away because we moved to Washington.
I am looking at the clock and it is getting very late. I have to be up and at the salon at 8:00 a.m. we have training all day and then clients.
I love this blog and I will miss it.

Woodstock

Riley woke me up at about 2:00 a.m. claiming she couldn't sleep. I was surprised since she had her best buddy here for a sleep over. I talked to her for a few minutes and she slept for a couple of hours in Sid's room. I had taken Ri and Mags to get some ice cream earlier in the evening. Ri had chosen Coffee Heath Bar Crunch. Coffee being the key ingredient. I figured it had to be the cause. When we discussed it this morning over Belgian waffles she proclaimed that she would no longer have any coffee infused desserts so close to bedtime. I thought that was a wise decision.
Bob took Sid with him to his rifle match. She even got up early to go. She has expressed to him that she would like to shoot in junior marksmanship matches. We will see how that pans out. I don't mind it if that is something she wants to do. Bob would be so proud. After they left the range, Bob took her to the cemetary where Jimi Hendrix is buried. There is a memorial there. Since it is the 40th anniversary of Woodstock and Sid loves Jimi's music.
Ri and i did some chores and listened to the Woodstock channel on XM radio. We then watched some of our recorded shows. She ended up falling asleep next to me. After her nap she felt much better.
We are in the process of having a new roof put on. The landlord had promised that we would have a new roof by June. It finally is happening. It is only two guys, a dad and son. With only two of them working at this pace it will be September by the time it is finished. It is a LOUD process to say the least.
Work tomorrow. Hopefully busier than it has been the last two days. When I left on Friday it looked like tomorrow was going to be a good day. I think the weather is promising sunshine as well. It was out in its sunnyness today.
Both girls have been watching every documentary they can get a hold of on Woodstock. I even bought them some cute t shirts from Target with cool Woodstock graphics on them.
Off to bed for me... peace out...

Make New Friends but Keep the Old...

Riley has her bestie over to spend the night tonight. I have already driven them to the convenience mart to get ice cream. They are the freakin' cutest things together! Bob's friend from Calif. called. The group that he and the girls used to camp with are at Catalina Island this weekend. This was a big trip for Bob and his daughters. Sid started to cry when she heard them on the phone talking about it.
I have great new friends at work but miss my friends in Calif. Those relationships are the ones that you can never replace but hope to someday have new friends to hang out with.
Work has been quiet for the last two days. Not sure why. Sunday appears to be busy so far so that is good. Can't pay those bills when you don't make any moola!
Tomorrow is Saturday and it's all about getting things done. Bob has a rifle match down south below Renton. Sid may go with him. Riley and Mags will probably sleep til noon, they wont fall asleep til well after midnight tonight.
It has been kinda chilly all day, think I will go and put on some p.j.'s. It is supposed to get warm, up to the nineties next week. Our last hurrah before fall takes over and starts to slowly hypnotize us into a winter stupor.

Before I Nod Off

Sleep seems to be a pattern that has become more manageable lately. When I first began working again, I would come home in the afternoon, exhausted. It was all I could do to get my work clothes changed and find an empty couch or bed. That nap habit would result in my staying up too late and the the cycle would begin again the next day. I am happy to report that I am now making it through the entire day without the nap. I am going to bed earlier and falling asleep earlier. This enables me to wake up and not feel like a train has run me down and drug me along with it for several hundred miles.
This has been a week of appointments and tying up lose ends. The girls had a regular dental exam on Monday. Both came away with no cavities and a clean bill of oral health. Riley will have to return for some sealants as she is prone to the cavities. Wednesday was the loooong torturous orthodontic appointments for both daughters. Yes, both daughters. I figured that since Sid had to have her braces off a wee bit early prior to moving, and hadn't seen an ortho in over a year that I should follow up and have her checked out. She made a comment to me before going into the appointment about having to have braces put back on. I told I doubted it and not to worry about it. Riley's consultation was first. She did not disappoint. Her xrays and pictures showed us just what we already knew, the kid is an orthodontic dream and a parent's worst nightmare. Riley's mouth held no surprises and she will be wearing lots of orthodontic appliances in the next 24-30 months. Now Sid on the other hand... She will be getting braces again.. Poor baby, she cried a bit in the exam chair and was not a happy child. I could completely understand. She has already been through the pain and agony, is starting her first year of high school at a new school and all that it entails. Lucky for her that it requires only one year and maybe even less if she is extremely compliant. I have no doubt that she will do whatever it takes. So now Bob and I are officially in the "poor house". We will be eating a lot of 10 cent Top Ramen, beans and hot dogs. I could have quite a sizable down payment on a new car equal to the cost of orthodontia. Thank goodness for the insurance coverage that the large warehouse store provides. Then we would be living in a "tent city". Yikes...
After the braces nightmare, we girls went to Redmond Town Center for some school shopping. Lots of good deals at Macy's for the girls and for me. I do have to keep up my image you know. The girls pretty much have what they need for now to get them off to a good fashion start for the new school year. Fashion being waaaay more important than academics.
I have been getting myself tuned up a little. I got some hair extensions at our certification training. Nothing major, just some highlights and thickening. We went to a dermatology office (the whole salon) for a cross promotion get together. We were given goodie bags that included "Latisse" for growing thicker, fuller eyelashes. I got my nails done after work today. I am feeling very Beverly Hills.
I guess I will enjoy it all for another couple of weeks and then it will all dry up like a lake bed in Lucerne Valley. Once I begin the payment odyssey so that my children have beautiful healthy teeth, I will turn from Glenda the good attractive witch back into the green wicked witch. Sacrifices, sacrifices.... At least I can get my beauty sleep now.

Found Me Some Time

It is Saturday, almost afternoon. I am off today. I start feeling a little panic when I think that it is my only day off til Wednesday and that I will be at work for a full EIGHT hours tomorrow. I am not whining, I am thankful to have a job. I just get a little OCD when I think about what I need/want to accomplish in a short amount of time. I have chores to do on my day off, I need to get my nails filled and a pedicure(yes, NEED, I work in the BEAUTY industry), my work clothes need washing and ironing, girls have dentist and ortho appointments, lordy..
I have lots to do and yet I find myself doin' a little blogging. I am also helping Riley load songs onto her itunes. Now that she has her own laptop she has erased her ipod and reloaded the songs that she wants and no longer has to share songs with her sister. Sid's tastes tend toward new alternative and Ri gravitates towards the oldies, Doors, Cream, Boston, Beatles and such.
Bob and Sid went to a gun show in Monroe(east of us) and then he will give her a driving lesson. She is a bit bummed that some of her friends are old enough to get their permits and she isn't going to get hers until next summer. One of the down sided to putting your child in school while they are still four.
It is VERY dark outside today, overcast but no rain. We need it, our grass is so brown.
Work is a work in progress. Some days are good and most days are not. It isn't a constant bad all day but weird or unfortunate circumstances occur daily. When it is a good day, it's a really good day. I am definitely getting busier, it is amazing in this economy how busy the salon is. I am totally dependent on walk in traffic and the uncertainty of that has me in a constant state of nerves. I have NO soft place to land with a familiar client. It's all part of proving yourself yet again after 25 years of a career. I knew it would be this way, I just don't have to like it...
I did not intend for this to be a rant, it's just that the last two days were not good in a client/co-worker kind of way and it gets to you after a while. I am wondering if I need a vacation. Not that I need one from a job that I have only had since June, but just to get away. Besides Phoenix for four days, I haven't even been out of the Seattle area for a whole year. The furthest I have been is Olympia to the south, Whidbey to the west and Everett to the north and all of those were 1 hour or less in duration. Blah Blah Blah...

Nice Day Family Day

Left mid morning to go up to Mukilteo. Bob, Sid and I got on the ferry and picked up Riley on Whidbey Island. Cool and cloudy, hard to believe that it was exactly one week ago today that we were in the lake all day cooling off from 112 degree heat!
After leaving Whidbey, we had lunch at Ivar's in Mukilteo, fish & chips, etc. then back down south. We stopped for some essential shopping and then home at last. Ri was treated to a great surprise when she arrived. Her Papa had gotten a new laptop and gave her his old one. It is great for her, goes on the internet so she can have her very own i-tunes, etc. She is happy!
I am doing well at work, hope it continues! Will head off to bed, long days ahead. Glad my baby is home.

Thoughts before bedtime

Went to work today. Had to be there at 1:00. Owner wanted to go over our new hair extension procedure, price, consultation, etc. If I ever get an extension client it will be amazing. I might be wrong but I believe my chances are slim to none. I hope I am wrong! I had two new clients today, both were great and they rebooked with me. I needed that confidence boost! The first is a real live chef! She has worked in some amazing restaurants and has written some cook books. I picked her brain quite a bit... The next client is from Ontario, Canada. Her husband is a software writer and has a contract with Clearwire for one year. There are lots of people that come here for short term contract work. I had a young guy about 22 years old from Canada who wanted a shampoo, blow dry and flat iron! That was a first. It's so interesting to chat with the clients here. Many of them just spend summers here. It's a whole new world I tell ya.
Riley called from the island. She went crabbing yesterday but didn't catch anything. She is supposed to come home on Wednesday but doesn't want to and is trying to figure out a way to work that family over so she can stay the rest of the week. Bob and I are trying to not get a complex over this. She told me that she is not coming home to the hot house. I had to explain to her that the weather has cooled down and that the house is no longer hot and that this is her home. It didn't really phase her...Tomorrow she is going salmon fishing. Poor child...
Still lots of different boats in and around where I work. The salon is right in front of the Kirkland Marina. Lots of big sailboats as there is a sailing club two doors down and another one beneath our salon. I have not been sailing this summer yet with my aunt and uncle but I had to go and get a job and ruin all of my fun. Downtown has been very busy with lots of things going on and such great sunny weather. We have had lots of foot traffic.
As soon as I finished work, I raced over to our favorite Mexican place. My dad was in town for work and met Sid and I for dinner.( 8:00 is too late for Bob). It was nice to see him and chat.
Speaking of chats, I had the nicest phone call today. Bob's aunt that lives in St. Louis called. She and I chatted for about a half hour. It was great to catch up. I love chatting with her.
Well, the ol' eyelids are getting heavy, I have to be back at the salon at 8:00 am. I am hoping to sleep in on Wednesday(day off) but I think that is the day we go up north and pick Riley up from the ferry. Sweet dreams and will try to post again soon.

Look who's bloggin'

I have been soooo negligent. I have given the blog a try, even blogged twice but didn't post them. I had some family issues with grandparents as well as Bob having family things to deal with. I have had some questions in regards to love, respect, etc... I also blogged about work but it seems to be going well. I hope I just hit a rough patch with work and that things are going to go more smoothly. I know that I am there a lot, more than I really had wanted to be initially, but it is going okay.
We have been having record breaking un bearable heat. Yes, I lived in the desert where it was hot but we had air conditioning. In western Washington there are not many homes with air conditioning. We don't have it in our house, so many normal tasks and everyday chores are not able to get done because it has been too darn hot. We did all go to my aunt and uncle's house on Wednesday and stayed in the lake all day. It felt great. The water was really warm with some cold currents that felt so refreshing. Riley had her best bud, Maggie with her. She has since left us yet again to go to Maggie's grandparents on Whidbey Island. Sid has been doing some things with friends.
Feeling pretty pooped right now. Went in today on my day off for training. We are going to start doing hair extensions at the salon. I had declined originally to be certified as an extension artist. As I watched the education and the process, I became very impressed. I decided to step out of my comfort zone and go for it. I am so glad I did. I am loving it more than I ever thought I would.

Ponder the Party

The day was filled with parties. The first was a reminder in many ways. Our littlest cousin, Kate turned one. Bob and I smiled that knowing smile of parents. We could see ourselves in each parent. They all had little ones running, crawling and toddling around. Mom chasing the little boy around, dad holding the new baby and talking with other dads about naps, pacifiers and sports. We appreciate and sympathize with these brave souls. We were there about 8-9 years ago. We look back with great memories but also with gratitude. Grateful that our girls are older and that we are no longer sleep deprived due to them anyway. I will be sleep deprived again in a few years when Sid starts going out with friends, driving and dating. UGH.
The kids were all adorable and it was a great party for an adorable one year old.
We stopped by the store to get ingredients for artichoke dip. I made it to take to the neighborhood party. I snuck in an hour nap too. Riley got dropped off at her buddy's house. They were going to an outdoor movie on the lake. I thought through what I was going to wear, what Bob would wear, what to take for wine, etc. I even took the time to blow dry my hair straight which is no easy feat. We arrived a bit late, everyone was starting to eat. Lots of people were there, socializing on the extremely large deck of this over 4500 sq. foot home with a lake view. I was so pleasantly surprised to find out that I actually knew the host and owner of this home. He is just about the cutest man I have met. He walks his golden retriever past our house most mornings. His dog is obsessed with an outdoor cat that wanders around. We have waved to one another and stopped to chat on a few occasions. His wife and daughter are wonderful, having just moved in about six months ago, from Bellevue. We met some extremely interesting people with the most fascinating professions. A man that thinks up new ideas for toys and pitches his ideas to toy manufactures, his wife an artist. A marine biologist turned baker. A woman who told me she and her husband were "peacenicks" and they are appalled but proud of their son who is an officer in the Army. A guy that works for Microsoft in the XBox division. When everyone found out where we lived, they just about kissed our feet. So happy were they all. The previous owners had let it go to various family members and caretakers. The original owners were pack rats, there was talk of pit bulls, old cars and drugs. They welcomed us with open arms and loads of gratitude. The "peacenick" woman thought that I should hire a Shaman and have a sage burning purification ceremony to rid the house of all of the negative energies or influences that had lived here. She said that I didn't have to hire a Shaman, that I could do it myself. I thought Californians were eccentric...I thanked her for the advice. So back to my carefully blown dry hair do... it began to sprinkle while we chatted with strangers, it began to rain in earnest as we worked to get to know strangers and have them get to know us. I began to have garish thoughts of my hair turning into a hairsprayed glob of fluff and fourteen pounds of mascara and Mac foundation running down my face. As I managed to work my way under an awning and out of the rain, I caught a peek of my reflection in a window, it was okay... thank goodness.

Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous

The girls are home. Bob and I picked them up at the airport today. We stood right in the doorway as they entered the airport so that they would see us as soon as they got to the entrance. They were full of talk and laughter. We went for dinner to our favorite local Mexican place and filled our faces with chips, salsa and much more. So good to have them home and under one roof. It wont last for long as Riley has already informed us that she is going to her friend's house to sleep over on Saturday night. It appears that she was still in AZ when those plans were made. Miss Popularity Pants she is...
We have been invited to a neighborhood shindig on Saturday night. The neighbors put fliers on our mailboxes and asked us to attend. Great, here is how it will go...
"Hi we are the neighbors who live in the crappiest house on your street" and then "we love living amongst your lovely large upscale lake view homes"... you get the idea. I will spend the next two days working on esteem issues and deciding what understated yet expensive looking outfit I will put myself and the husband into. Maybe our Ralph Lauren khakis and the matching madras shirts we got during our vacation to St. Croix last summer or did we get them two summers ago while shopping in the Hamptons? I can't remember, all those wonderful trips we have taken have just blended together...
The best part about Saturday is the birthday party we will attend early in the day. Our favorite baby Kate will be a big one year old girl! She will probably wear the nickname of Baby Kate for a while longer as she is the last baby in the entire clan. It is true, they grow so fast... sniff sniff...
Well, I have had my bite of delicious Key Lime Pie and now it is off to dream land. I will sleep well knowing that my baby girls are home with us.

Happy Birthday Auntie D

I think that every kid should have a "cool" aunt. My husband does, my girls do and so do I. When I was born, my aunt Debbie was just a kid. She was always so much fun for me to hang out with. She and I did lots of things together. She was the older girl that I could worship and idolize. I thought her clothes, hair, earrings, friends, and music were all just the coolest. I got to play with her Barbies, read her Nancy Drew books, talk on her princess phone and sleep in her canopy bed. She moved far from California so I didn't get to spend much time with her as I grew up but now we are close to each other again and it's like no time has passed. She is more than an aunt, she is like a cooler older sister as we are not too far a part in age. While I love the past memories of the cool 60's and 70's, I am far more grateful for the present. My aunt and her family have been so welcoming and open to us since our arrival in Washington. Her willingness to let me call and chat, vent and laugh... I am indeed thankful for it all. I think one of the greatest things my aunt has done for me is this... while it is easy to love a cute little kid(I was cute!) It means more to me that she loves me as an adult, values my opinions, respects me and makes me feel just as loved by her as I did when I was was just a little girl.
Happy Birthday Aunt Debbie, it doesn't matter what birthday it is, you will always be that funny, bubbly, sweet aunt to me!!

Pirate Ships, Twitter and Car Shows

The "Kirkland Uncorked" festival has arrived. It started yesterday, making downtown a frenzied place. It is held at the Marina park which is just a few steps from the salon. When I left work yesterday, I always take in the view (I mentioned this in the prior blog). I was in for a big treat yesterday. Instead of the usual large boats and sailboats, etc. there it was. Docked at Marina Park. The tall ship Lady Washington. She is a pirate ship and has been in all of the "Pirates of the Caribean" movies. I grabbed a picture with my cell phone but have yet to unload it, so you can enjoy this picture that I found online. Fun stuff. I am concerned about Sunday. Along with the Uncorked festivities, they are holding the Kirkland Classic Car Show(say that 5 times fast). NOW that will be held directly in FRONT of the salon. It will take up the entire street in fact. This poses a huge parking dilema for us stylists. Our parking lot will not be accessible to us. We will have to park about 3 miles away and walk to work. Not my thing... Not excited... I would have Bob take me but he will be leaving three hours before I need to leave. No good solutions. I am excited about the car show, hoping that a car I like will be parked right out front. I would like an American muscle car. I am going to be ready and hand out some of my advertising though! That's me... always thinking, planning, etc.
I have been neglecting my "Twitter" and have had some friends and family join recently so I am back to working the "tweets". I am going to use it to promote my business as well.
It is Saturday and I have lots of time to love on my blog. I am going to putter around here, marinate some meat to throw on the grill and wait for the man to come home. He should be here by 2:30 or so. My daughters will be home on Wednesday. Yay!

Sometimes Life Just Happens

Whether you are aware of it or not, life is like riding the the tide. You are carried along with it. Then you stop and realize you have been living your life.
Now that I am gainfully employed, I have that feeling quite often. I am riding a small boat that is tossing about on some strong current. I do have some oars, those are my days off. Bob and I both have Wednesday off and we thought that maybe we could go and do something today. It was the last day off we will have together before the girls arrive home. I went to get my nails done and when I returned home, we just got bogged down with chores. We just felt like we couldn't enjoy a day out with too much to do at home. I do feel a sense of accomplishment tho. Weather is fabulous again, after a few cool cloudy days...
The salon is one block off of the lake. The parking lot for the salon is right up against some boat docks. Everyday, when I leave work I get to look out onto the water and the Seattle skyline. I am always amazed at the beauty and at my luck. I get to live and work here! I am starting to feel like I am getting into the groove at the salon. I am not super busy yet, but busier than I thought that I would be. I have been able to handle everything I have been given. I have had some really happy clients that love their color/hair. I know it wont always be a lovefest, it never is but with over two decades of experience I feel pretty capable of handling it. I have made some signage for the salon and some flyers for another stylist as well as myself. I even have Bob handing out information about me at Costco. I am working every angle.
In some ways it feels like my girls have been gone forever and in another way I feel that they just left. We miss them so much. I think the reason we miss them so much this time is this... they are both changing so fast. Sid is going to high school and Riley is going to middle school. This is just my feeling about it all...
Tomorrow, work, Friday, work. Saturday off. I have no plans, which is good.

Musings of the tired mind

Lucky for me, I made it out of the basement alive and did color my hair. Today was a dreary cold and rainy day. The rain part is good. We need it soooo bad. The grass around here is getting soooo brown and dry. I worked all day. Not too busy in the morning but busy in the afternoon. It was my first time to close the shop tonight. I had to close out the drawer, etc. all by myself. I think it went well, if not I am sure I will hear about it tomorrow.
Bob brought pizza home from Costco for our dinner. What a blessing it is to have him work there. We watched some television on our awesome HDTV. We also spoke with our long lost daughters. Sid is great to chat with on the phone, Riley on the other hand is not. She pays no attention to the person on the line, puts you on speaker phone most of the time and is too busy watching what is going on around her. You get the sense right away that she is not paying one bit of attention to you and you end up repeating yourself several times. It is enough to make you cranky. I will say that she has been very good about calling every day. I guess my threats worked. Her cat is freaking out with her gone. He is meowing/howling and pacing. He never ever sleeps with us and has for two nights now. Poor thing, he is lost without her. Sid's snake seems to miss her too. Bob has tried to feed her twice now and she has turned her little snake nose up at the offerings. Upon close inspection she does appear to be on the verge of shedding which does make her appetite disappear.
Work tomorrow and Tuesday. Bob and I are both off on Wednesday. Tonight I suggested that we try to do something fun that day. So far we haven't made any plans...There is so much to choose from. I will keep you posted.

Saturdays...

I have a love of Saturdays. Back in the old old days, I worked like a dog on Saturdays. In recent years we girls in the salon decided that we were not going to work Saturdays and the shop was closed. The salon I work in now is open seven days a week. Saturday is a coveted day for the other stylists, it is the money day. There are only four stations, the owner has Saturday off and they needed one person to not work Saturdays. I eagerly raised my hand. I work all day on Sunday which is also a busy day and I love the Saturday off. Going from three or four days off in Calif. to being unemployed to only two days off a week is a challenge. I gotta make the most of these two days off, have to learn to manage my time more efficiently.
Today is about getting caught up on house stuff. I need to go and get my nails done but not sure that will happen today. I would like to find a place that does a great job, so will have to do some research before I rush out there and get some. Bob has been so great to water my flower baskets, daisies, hydrangeas, etc. I need to go out there today and show them some love. He has some awesome tomato plants going on the back patio right now. Cannot wait to enjoy the bounty. I also MUST color my hair. It is frightening how much white hair I have. I am terrified at the thought of what color my true color is or isn't in this case.
I must also call my grandparents today. My grandpa called me yesterday to check in and I will gladly fill them in this morning.
Have not heard much from my children. I am glad. That means they are having a blast and staying busy. While we miss them so very much we are happy that they have somewhere awesome to visit and be where they are truly loved. They will get older and maybe not want to or be able to go to Arizona forever so they need to go now while they can and still want to go.
I am headed down to the basement to find my hair color. Hopefully I find some and don't lock myself in the basement and out of the house... scarrryyyyy....

What type are you?

The salon that I work in has a mandatory monthly shop meeting. Today's meeting involved watching a DVD. It was a DVD about what personality type you are. There were four to choose from and you could be a combo of two out of four. It was much easier to figure out other people's personality type than my own. Traits would be discussed and I would think "that is my husband" or "that is so like my dad" or "wow, that is my sister for sure". But my traits? Not so self evident. I do know I am not an A type. I am not soooo over the top in motivation, energy and all that an "A" has to offer. We didn't get a chance to finish the DVD today so I am still on the fence about my personality type. I know characteristics of my personality but am curious to know what type it makes me. As soon as the results are in, I will be sure to let you all know. I know you are so super curious and the not knowing will keep you up all night.
Good, productive day at work. Tomorrow looks like I have lots on the books and I will be busy all day.
Chatted briefly with my daughters today. They are now at my sister's house with their cousin. I guess they are having some fun! We miss them!

Back to the Grind

I have to go back to work tomorrow. I am conflicted on that. Soooo nice to be off but glad to get back to a routine as well.
Took Sheri, Kevin and Kenz to the airport this morning. I was sad because I am going to miss them but also because it went by so fast and I wanted to do some things that we didn't get to do. I am happy we got to do some things that I wanted to do tho!
When I got home today, I did some chores and then Bob and I watched two movies. I ironed work clothes while we watched "Doubt" with Meryl Streep and "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" was the other one. Both were very good.
Riley has been good in that she called me this morning and has answered my text messages. Both girls got a lecture about calling me and being available to talk. I told them that the reason I pay for them to each have cell phones is so that Bob and I can get a hold of them, not to text friends 24/7.
Overcast and gloomy. A few tiny drops of rain for about 3 minutes today. We need some rain, the grass around here is all but dead. The news says more sun and heat by the end of the week. Wow...

Again with the luck

I have found yet another reason why I feel so lucky to live here in Washington. I went with my sister, brother in law and niece to the Chateau Ste. Michelle winery today. They happen to make some of my favorite wines anyway so this was a treat. It also happens to be about 15 minutes from my house. The picture above is of the Chateau that houses the bottling facility, banquet, tasting room, gift shop, etc. it is not my picture as I did not take my camera. I know that my brother in law, Kevin got lots of pictures and I am hoping he will share... For now, it will have to be this one that I stole off of the internet. My little niece is only four but she was such a good girl. She sang "Here comes the Sun" and "Sugar Sugar" to us in the car and made me crack up. She is so funny.
Took my parents and my offspring to the airport this morning. Both Bob and I are having a hard time this year. We miss them terribly already. Glad they are going to have lots of fun in Arizona. I may have to crack open the luscious wine that my sis and bro in law bought me while my girls are gone. It may be the medicine I need to numb my feelings... I will be working lots so that helps.
Back to the airport tomorrow morning, this time to take the sister and family. I am being deserted... Sooo glad I have my WA family up here, they are so good to me and I don't feel too lonely for too long. If I need to pick me up, I'll just hang out with Natalie, Sam, Lauren and Kate for a bit and it is like the best medicine(almost as good as that red wine).

Keeping Busy

The days are flying by as I knew they would. Today, my parents, sister's family, the girls and I went to the locks in Ballard. We met up with my cousin Jill and her cute babies. We loved it and cannot wait to go back. The big salmon will be there in August. They also have a botanical garden there and I want to look it over some more. We were limited on time due to lunch reservations down the street. Lunch was filled with steamers, calamari, seafood salad, cocktails and beautiful views. It all went well. I was worried because a major artery into Seattle was closed for repairs. The news told us that it would make all other ways into Seattle very congested. We hit it just right going and them coming home. Thank the Lord for GPS. Got home and the girls started packing for Arizona. They leave tomorrow with my parents for two weeks. I will be busy working so hopefully I don't have a lot of time on my hands to miss them too much. After the airport, I will go with my sister and family to a winery in Woodinville. That should be lovely. I just happen to love the wine there.

Happy 4th of July

Sunshine, family and water. Beautiful day today. When you have company coming from another state you feel responsible for them having a good time and that includes the weather. No one in these parts can remember a warm and sunny 4th such as this. It was 85 or hotter yesterday, we shall see what today brings. My sister and family arrived on Wed. On Thurs. she and I went to lunch and had pedicures. My uncle took them sailing yesterday and this morning they are at the Seattle Aquarium. Riley took a day trip to Whidbey Island yesterday with her friend Maggie and Maggie's mom. She got home this morning. Sidney is at the aquarium. Off for now, will write more later...

Time for a little post

Had to be to work today at 10:00. Bob took me so that my parents would have a car to get around today. They will get their rental tomorrow. They are getting all settled in at the lake house. They picked me up at 5:00 and we all got to hang out at the lake. Sid and Monique got some serious Sea-Doo action in today. They loved it. My sweet little cousin, Natalie just loved hangin' out with Sid and Monique. The big teenagers were quite entertaining. Everytime I looked over at her she had the biggest grin on her face. I go to work tomorrow at 2:00, so I am planning to sleep in past 7:30. I will take the girls downtown with me and let them shop, eat and hang out at the beach. Bob will pick them up on his way home. Riley comes home sometime tomorrow. I miss her so much. Her dad is missing her pretty bad too. Her sister? Not so much...
Tues. we take Monique to the airport and then I am off of work for a week.
Beautiful sunny warm day today. The salon is on the main drag of town, that means we get to people watch like crazy. On a warm weekend day, it is crazy busy downtown. It is like a beach side town or downtown Claremont only with water. It is full of walkers, dog owners, bicycle riders, pedestrians and joggers. It's a cool atmosphere and I love working down there in the thick of it all. I am seeing and learning so much. I was pretty busy today and that was great, makes the day go by soooo much quicker.

Where Have I Been???

I will tell you where I have been... WORK! I was just supposed to "kinda fill in" this week but it turned into a full blown 32 hour week. Yikes... It's good in that I actually made a paycheck. It's bad that I blew the whole thing at Target. Easy come, easy go...
Spent the day at the lake house(my aunt's) and it was soooo pretty. I was being entertained by eagles flying about, duck families, heron and float planes taking off and landing. Just putting the finishing touches on the big house for the company. My parents just crossed the Canadian/American border about 10 minutes ago. I go to pick them up in a while. Riley has been emailing and checking in from Whidbey Island. She is having a great time. Sid and her friend, Monique are having a great time too. Bob took them into downtown Seattle yesterday for some sightseeing. So far they have been to the mall, Seattle and the lake. I will post some pictures of their day at the lake soon. I am hoping that Riley has some good photos as well, I threatened her if she didn't take pics.
I am not sure if I am coming or going. I went from not so much to do for a year to feeling like a chicken with my head cut off. The lake was GOOD therapy for me today. I needed the solitude and the beauty around me.
Looking forward to Tuesday at noon. I will be off of work for one whole week. I get to spend it with all of my family and I am so beyond excited.
Tomorrow I work and my parents will get settled in for their week in Washington. Rental car, unpack, etc.
Bob is going strong at Costco... still doing well. He has lost sooo much weight, he walks so much everyday, lots of cardio.
Will have lots to tell and lots of pictures to post in the next week or so. Hope everyone's beginning of summer is going well.

What Has Been Going On...

I finished my second full day of work today. I have had seven clients so far. Not too shabby for having just started. It is a busy salon. Being open seven days a week and being downtown, on the main street of town, being a great salon, all of these things are why it is a busy salon. There is no down time, even when you don't have a client. There is lots to learn still, but I am getting the hang of it. It is sooo ULTRA structured, keeping track of everything. So VERY different from what I am used to. I do like the structure, it's just learning the procedures that takes time and makes you feel less than intelligent. As far as rockin' the hair, it's all good. Haven't gotten anything that I couldn't handle yet. Lots more male clients than I am used to. It is good to know that I can still cut a guy haircut!
Have heard from the parents, they are having a great time. I knew they would. Looking forward to seeing the pictures.
Sid's friend from Calif. will be here Wednesday for 5 days. We are planning as much as we can with our work schedules. Riley has been invited by a friend to go to Whidbey Island. Her grandparents live there and live in some huge house with tennis courts on the beach. Rough huh? Poor Ri... hope she has fun. She will be gone for about 4 days. Perfect timing for Sid.
I got up early today and went to one of our distributors this morning. They were having a big sale with some of the proceeds going to "Operation Gratitude". That is a charity that helps support families of soldiers and soldiers themselves. It was cool and I needed some things for my station. Got home just in time to start getting ready for work. I took my Ipod in today. I made a "salon" playlist and it went over well.
I am POOPEDso will call it a day. Have to be at the salon at 8:00... ugh... but at least I will be home by 2:30.

It's a Day full of Holidays

Sunday is Father's Day. It is also my dad's birthday. I have already wished him a happy day for both occasions. He called earlier today to tell me that he and Mom were about to board and cruise away. They are on their way to Alaska for a week long fun filled cruise. Once on the ship, the cell phone calls are lots of coin per minute so he didn't want us to call him. The picture above is obviously an old one but it is one of my favorites of my parents with the grandkids. We were in Las Vegas having dinner.
My dad became my dad in not the usual way. While he is not my biological father, he is my father in every way possible. I remember when my sister and I sat down with him to discuss what we were going to call him. He told us we could call him Paul or Dad but just don't call him "late for dinner". I don't think a 10 and 7 year old got his brand of humor all of the time. It took a bit of time for me to call him dad. The man that I was forced to call dad for a few years was not in fact my dad nor did he ever act as if he were my dad. So that moniker did not evoke any soft warm feeling for me for a long time. Once I felt I could break down the wall and think of Paul as "dad", that was it. He has always been Dad. The only time he is Paul is when we are mad at him, much like a parent calling a child by their full name when the parent is angry with the child. So sometimes he is "Paul Dean" and he knows we are not pleased or are being condescending toward him. My mother is not spared this treatment of having us call her by her first name or more often called by her many nicknames. This was a habit we developed in high school. All of my friends began this trend of calling our parents by their first names. Funny, when I have told people this, they think that our parents were or should have been upset by our seeming lack of respect. They never were and never tried to change our habit. We did not ever mean it in a non respectful way. I am veering off of my intended topic...
I am going to let you all know something that has been said by many and it does hold true. You don't have to give birth or be related to someone to consider them your own. My dad not only treated us as if we were his own, so did his entire family. ALL of them have always made us feel like we have belonged. It was important to two little sad, scared and emotionally scarred girls. It is still important to us as two adult grown women with children of our own. My sister and I will never forget that we had a dad that was our biological dad. A dad that loved us and didn't want to leave us but was not given that choice. God needed another good angel. He died when he was to young. He hadn't gotten to live or enjoy a good portion of his life. He didn't get to know his daughters, he didn't get to do a lot of things. Instead he made sure that his daughters had a guardian angel and all sorts of different angels that helped to pull his little girls out of harm's way. They may have suffered at the hand of those who were hardened and cruel but those angels always made sure we got into a safe harbor and kept close watch on us. Our angels on earth have had to be our mom and then our dad, Paul. They were given the task of taking care of us and making sure we were happy, well adjusted, productive, successful people. Not easy under the best of circumstances let alone the ones we were in.
My mom has been blessed with a great husband who loves her with all of his heart, my sister and I have had the blessings of having a dad who loves and respects us, our children have had the best "Papa" any kid could ask for. His grandbabies are the light of his life.
So Dad, it is with huge amounts of heaping love and gratitude that I wish you a happy Father's day and a very happy Birthday. You are the best dad a kid could wish for.

Sid is officially a 10th grader in high school and Riley a sixth grader. I had the pleasure of picking Riley up and then we went to get her friend, Maggie. We consumed some yummy Cold Stone ice cream and then did some fun shopping at Target. They are now happily feasting on nacho cheese Doritos, Mountain Dew and watching "Juno". I wish I were 11 again...
Sid brought over a group of friends and hung out here for a few hours and then off to the beach. It actually finally rained a good bit so their outdoor beach picnic idea was kind of a no-go. I Instead they decided to trash my house. I finally called from Target and told Sid and her friends to hit the road. They have other friends in the 'hood and the beach close by to hang out at and make messes at.
Got to spend a short time with my parents yesterday afternoon and this morning. Took them up to Edmonds to catch the train. They took the train to Vancouver, B.C. and then set sail for Alaska for a week. All went smoothly. We had a nice dinner and ate outside. Looking forward to spending more time with them as well as my sister and family.

Some Pictures

Sid's big night out... 9th grade cruise


Salon

Working Girl

I am officially employed. I am still not certain that I am in love with the hours but at this point I cannot complain. I am thankful to have a job and work in a great salon with lots of client building/money making potential. I finished my last "interviews" yesterday with two more of the girls. They are all really great. For all being so young, they are grounded, mature and great professionals. I had some requests and those were met and so now it is official. I will be putting in lots of hours and now working ALL weekend. Saturday 9-5 and Sunday 10-5. Ick...
I requested Wednesdays off so that I could help at Riley's new school as we are committed to so many hours per year. Bob says that he will change from Saturdays off to Wednesdays off as well, that helps. The Saturday gig is only as permanent as I make it. If I move up the "levels" of income, referrals, sales, etc. I will eventually have Saturdays off. It is the carrot being dangled in front of the work mule. The one thing that has put a damper on my new found employment is that I had to turn down another employment situation. I was really hoping to be able to do that but with my over 32 hours per week of salon time, days off, etc, it just isn't going to work. I know what it meant to this family that I would be employed by, I have been in that position myself. I just don't want to have caused irreparable harm in any way. I love them far too much for any damage to have been done.
That is hanging heavy for me this morning...
I am happy in so many ways about the salon job, don't get me wrong. It will be hard to go from NO employment to LOTS of employment. I have had it good for a year now. The paychecks will be more than welcome. We are still in ownership of a lovely home in California with renters whose monthly rent is less than half of our monthly mortgage. The giant warehouse pays pretty good but not that good.
The one thing that I am VERY relieved about is that I will not start full time until after everyone leaves in July. I will go in part time next week but then am off the first week of July. I did not want to work while ALL of my family is finally here for a visit. That would have been depression inducing at the very least.
Tonight is Sid's 9th grade cruise/dance. She has her new highlights, put nails on last night, toenails in matching pink polish and is ready to go. She told me this morning that she is getting nervous. I know she will have a great time. I am taking her to her friend's house a half hour early for pictures. I will post some on here, I promise. Off to play taxi driver and then home to chores. Will keep you posted on what's next. I will post some salon photos eventually as well.

Caffiene rambles

I am finding myself in a quiet time. Coffee in hand. June gloom set in this morning but promises of a burn off are there. Hearing that Calif. had their share of June gloom recently. Tomorrow will got back to the salon to hopefully finish up everything pertaining to working. Have to go back on Thursday for shop meeting and salon coach intro. I have never had a salon coach!
Bob is at the giant warehouse, Sid is asleep but not for long as she is getting her hair done (color) today and toenails done by me. I have much silver and white to cover on my own lovely locks as well.
Got the t.v. cable buried yesterday, it was like 300 feet. Bob of course dug the trench and Riley and I helped place it in the trench, cover it and then water it for compaction.(Bob's old trade came back for a bit). We had to place the satellite on the pole so there was lots of cable from the dish to the back of the house where it enters the basement. Speaking of basements, I should take some pictures of it. Whenever anyone finds out we have a 2,000 sq. ft basement they get either frightened, intrigued or inquisitive. Are there any dead bodies? Torture devices? Hunchback recluses, bomb shelter? No, nothing exciting as all that. Just a lot of shelves, concrete, some windows, a stripper pole, the heating system, clothesline and all of our storage type items. No bugs, animals or people. It is freakin' cool in there on those 90 degree days though, too bad you don't feel like hanging out down there very long.
So back to the yard, buried cable, planted two huge beautiful hydrangeas that Bob got for me at Costco, weeded, transplanted and watered everything well. Have to water well right now due to lack of rain. It will break a record for May/June soon.
Bob just called, he forgot to put the flag up. Wasn't I just bragging about his flag skills in the last post???? Oh bother.... I guess I am ending this post and going out to put up the flag.

Tomorrow Sunday June 14th is Flag Day

Sunday, June 14th is flag day. If you have an American flag, put it up! From Wikipedia..."commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States, which happened that day by resolution of the Second Continental Congress in 1777"
Bob will put ours up before he leaves for work, he is good about getting our flag out there on all of the important days.
Planted hydrangeas today, buried t.v. cable, chores today. Salon stuff seems to be going well.

Finding my identity today

Going to the salon that I have been interviewed by and will be doing the interviewing today as well as doing the owner's hair. I am not nervous. I am glad I guess. I have enjoyed being off for a year! It is a lovely salon and I am so glad they want me and I really could use the money. It's all good...
Going to go and get myself dolled up like a professional and will let everyone know how it went. I am going to sit and speak to two of the current stylists today and I am going to ask them pages of questions about the salon, owner, how they feel about me, etc. I like that the owner has given me that opportunity. This salon is truly unlike anything I have ever worked in. Pages of reading for the salon handbook, signing agreements, scheduled hours, pay for parking or walk 3 miles, it's really kind of cool, I am looking forward to it. I will post some pics of the salon once I have finished the interview process which shall end Monday afternoon, once I finish with interviews. There are five stylists, four and the owner. I will share a station with one of the part time girls and who ever is not working when I am. It's something I have done before so not a problem.
Well, the television just went all digital so if we hadn't gotten our satellite situation remedied we would have NO television as of 9:00 am today!!! Man, in the nick of time.
Ri's last day of band, no instruments just a party, she is looking forward to the last day as are many kids I am sure.
Much to do, I have to get presentable and it takes a village...

I got no time

I am posting quick. Got things to fax, phone calls, etc. We went to Ri's last concert for band last night. Always a great night of music. The Jr high concert and jazz bands are phenomenal! I could listen to them for hours. It was great to see how much our little 5th grade beginning band has improved since October. Riley has done well and we will miss band. Because of her new school she wont have the right kind of schedule for band. Maybe in 7th grade but who knows. She has to trade off her flute playing for environmental and outdoor studies... Have to coordinate with the salon owner to get some questions answered and to meet the staff. I have soooooo many plans and company coming in June and beginning of July that I am hoping to put off my employment until after the 8th of July. Gotta ask nicely...
Still no rain. If we go rainless for like 3 or 4 more days we will break the 1982 record. I'm tellin' ya! We move up here and get to be a part of all the record breaking weather events possible. That really is our luck... I have been hand watering flower pots, flower beds, tomato plants and some parts of the grass(weeds) by hand every day. Not a problem, I love doing it but I figured that by now we would have had a few rainy days. Quite a switch from last year at this time. We were wearing sweatshirts and long pants and everyone was calling it "Juneuary" around here!
It is beautiful and everyday is bliss- very beach like in an O.C. kind of way.
The girls have one more week of school. Next week is Sid's 9th grade cruise, Riley's picnic and various other items that always go with the last week of school. We will follow up with our yearly tradition. On the last day of school we go to Cold Stone to celebrate another year. A few days after that we begin our round of company. My parents for just a day and then they are on a cruise to AK. Sid's dear friend from Calif. will be here for about 5-6 days after that. My parents will be back from AK and here for a week as well as my sister and family. I am sooo excited. Went to Wal-Mart yesterday and bought many items relating to the 4th of July. I got a few things for you A.D. as well as my niece and my little cousins. Lots of photo ops! All of the great grandkids will be in one spot so will have to snap lots of pictures.
Happy Thursday and the week is almost finished!

Beautiful Day

It is another sunny no rain kind of day today. The down side to this is that there is no and has been no rain. When Sid and I picked Riley up at school yesterday, we were astonished at how dead and brown much of the grass field was. It was green the other day but not now. So, while the sunny days have been pure bliss, the lack of water falling from the sky is taking it's toll.
Much to do around here so I wont be running around too much today. Kinda nice, the first day in a long time that I am not going anywhere except to pick children up from school. Just the usual house hold chores, that will go much more smoothly with the t.v. on!

Bliss is in that Squawk Box

It finally happened. Today was huge. After three visits from various television providers we finally have t.v. We have our satellite service back(we have had the same for 14 years) but the dish couldn't go on the roof. It had to go on a pole in the ground. It is in the front by the driveway. It is beautiful. The most gorgeous satellite dish I ever did see!
We got the tutorial on our new HD DVR also. Very cool. Thanks too my fabulous husband for helping to make it happen. He did soooo much prep work for this to happen and helped the installer with every little thing. It was worth it because there is very little cable showing anywhere. It's all downstairs in the basement and hidden from sight. Aaahhhhhh...
Went to the salon I am pursuing for work. I needed to pick up the salon handbook, etc. Lots of paperwork, contracts, signatures, etc. There are lots of rules and things but it's all stuff that I really like and appreciate. The owner and I see eye to eye on a lot of things. I don't mind going from what I had to this new venture, I like rules, I like having boundaries, I like knowing where I stand. I just have to meet with all of the other stylists first and then it's a done deal. I like that I am going to meet with the other stylists, make sure it's a good fit for everyone. I have always appreciated what good chemistry can do for a salon. It can truly make or break the whole show.
Wow, I just can't stop channel surfing and I know that I have a giant grin on my face.

Getting the Yard Tuned Up

Good Morning

It is Sunday morning, still kinda early. Of course I am alone, Bob is a work and girls still sleeping. Nice and quiet... Will reach over and turn on the jazz in a minute. A little background music for a Sunday morning...
Yesterday, Bob and I got up early and went to get flowers and plants for our yard. He had brought home these cool hanging pots and they were empty. It was a nice morning and I got all that I needed to fill five hanging pots plus some things to put into the ground. Riley was quite the big helper and I had fun spending time working with my youngest baby. The impatiens above are NOT mine but a representation of the 34 thousand that I planted. The weather was very "beach-like" June gloom in Orange County kind of a day. LOVED it. It hovered around 70 most of the day. Before going to get plants and other necessities we stopped at my new favorite coffee place. Bob was a sport and said he liked the coffee. It's not that he doesn't like Starbucks, etc. it's just that typical "why would you pay $4.00 for something that should cost a 1.50 for 35 oz. at AM PM"??? After finishing our outside duties we came in and watched "Valkyrie" with Tom Cruise. It was pretty good. Yesterday was D-Day so I guess it was fitting to watch a movie about WW II and trying to eliminate Hitler from the scene. The best part is that I didn't have any Hitler dreams last night.
Riley and I are just going to show up at Costco today and not tell that guy that works there. We will surprise him. We need supplies in a bad way so we are planning a raid on the super warehouse of fun and food.
Tomorrow, I meet with the salon owner to read over the salon manifesto and then arrange to meet with the other stylists. It's all good. I will have to do a model so look out cousin, I will be a-callin!!! T.V. should be in tomorrow as well, wont celebrate yet, but it's looking good. I wont know how to react!
Will get up early tomorrow to take Sid to school, she has to turn in a VERY large project called "Simple Machines". She and her friend/science partner have been working on it for three weeks. Tomorrow is the big day. I will video tape it for them so that they can post on to Youtube and get extra credit. I will try to post that video on here too, if all goes according to plan.
The week ahead is an action packed one, band concerts, etc. I am going to learn the working mom dance yet again. Balance people balance, that's the key.
Time to turn on the music and warm up that cup o' joe.

D-Day Veteran Recounts 'Longest Day' 65 Years Later - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News - FOXNews.com

D-Day Veteran Recounts 'Longest Day' 65 Years Later - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News - FOXNews.com

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Breaking Records and Job Interviews

The last few days have been record breaking in heat. 90 degrees in June in Seattle. It's just not normal. Seems that since my family and I have moved to Pugetopolis we have had the pleasure of enjoying all sorts of record breaking weather events. Heat, cold, snow, floods, etc. I am just glad it decided to descend back down to the beautiful partly sunny, partly cloudy, mild 70's again...aaahhhh...
Yes, the big part of my day today was the interview to be a stylist again. The salon owner and I met for lunch at a great place across from the salon. Delicious salad for me... yum... Anyway, great interview that felt more like a visit with a fellow hairdresser. It seems that my interviews have been going that way. I like that. I am interviewing her too as she is chatting with me. So... will move forward with this next week and it looks quite promising. VERY different than what it was like for me in the H.D. This is all good tho and will take some adjustments on my part but it is a great place, great decor, great education opportunities, travel, easy client building, low drama, hi tech. One big obstacle is parking. It is downtown and parking is at a premium. Some two hour parking, some 30 minute parking and some pay to park or park far away and walk. Park far away and walk is okay unless it is raining, then not so much. I will figure it all out. It is Friday nite and the weekend has begun. Will plant some flowers in my hanging baskets and get some more plants at Mc Clendons. Happy weekend all...

Hmmmmm....

Okay, no T.V. yet(satellite that is) we still have our good ol' antenna. But the installation guy was awesome and I showed him what we needed done, and we decided that Bob and I would do the drilling, etc. They will come back on Monday and do the install. Soooooo... it's getting closer, I can taste it errr... see it. Whatever, it will happen! Job interview tomorrow, hoping for the best. Salon, back behind the chair. I am excited. Oldest daughter busy with her science project, youngest busy being popular. Husband trying to stay awake long enough to watch an "Operation Valkyrie" documentary so he will be ready for the movie. I can't watch with him or I will have dreams about Hitler for four days straight. I am going to stay superficial and mindless tonight and watch "I am a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here". So not my normal watching choice but that' what happens when you have 4 channels and it's summer t.v. line up. Slim pickins...

Lovely visit last evening with family from So. Cal. So great to see them, it has been well over a year. Much to visit about and show them. I was wishing the rhodies were still in bloom like they were a couple of weeks ago. Some are still blooming and are beautiful and we enjoyed looking at all of the different colors, shapes, etc. Had dinner on the lake which was really nice. Still quite warm and looking for another day in the 90's. Wow...
So, today the satellite dish peeps are coming back, I will not get my hopes up. They will be soooo impressed with my duct tape antenna set up that they will probably offer me a job on the spot. It is impressive.
Riley is busy making a card for her student teacher. She was with them pretty much all year and even taught them on her own for some time. She and Riley love each other and Riley will miss her. Today is her going away party so a card had to be made. There will be cake and punch, etc. She will be missed but will be such an asset to any school.
Bob brought home some hanging wooden containers for flowers. Unfortunately there were no flowers in them but that will be easily fixed. They will look awesome when I get them filled up. Sometimes his job can have a perk or two.
Tomorrow is coffee in the a.m. looking forward to that, then a salon interview. It's all good. Stay tuned...

Hospitality

Having some of Bob's family from So. Cal. over today. They fly in today and will stay in Seattle and wanted to come by for a visit. I am up early with a headache, an escaped cat and a long list of "to do's". Tylenol, cat bath(by the girls) and checking of that list are all in order. Satellite t.v. will be back tomorrow to hook us up, just no HD or HD Tivo. Oh well. Oh, I hooked the t.v. up to the antenna and then rigged up more cable and the picture is actually really clear! Bob was impressed. Call me Mc Gyver... I love duct tape...
Ok, that is enough for today, too much to do. Very warm today by Seattle standards, 90 degrees! It is supposed to peak today and start to cool off to average temps like high 60's-70's. Sunny and in the low 70's? My DREAM situation... aaaaahhhhhhh...

Changes in my blog

I ranted a bit about Comcast and got a comment left by someone saying they are "with Comcast" and would try to help. I did a little research and this person seems to search and surf the web for any and all things Comcast, leaving the same type of message with everyone, it's all over the internet. I was a bit thrown off and pissed that someone I do not know was leaving comments and reading my blog. I do have it set so my friends, family and past clients can read with out the hassle of being a Google Blog member, signing in to read, etc. which is what would happen if I changed the privacy settings. I may still but that is why I don't put exact information about certain things in my posts. I did change how you can leave a comment so just email me your comments directly. So... Mr. Casem if you are still interested in my little blog and what I have to say about Comcast... here ya go...
I WONT be contacting you and I WONT be using Comcast. Not even if they offered me free cable for 5 years and a free DVR and free HBO. You can stop reading my blog and being creepy. I read your dumb fake looking "Comcast Cares" page and are people really gullible enough to send you their addresses and phone numbers? You are really slick and you look kind of authentic to the masses but I have been on the internet a time or two and you are a scammer, getting poor sad T.V.less people's info out of them. Shame on you.... You are probably in Nigeria and you are also offering to share your fortune with someone who will send you their bank account information and you will send them a cashiers check for 20 thousand dollars and could they keep it in that account till you get over here to the U.S. and then they can keep a percentage of the cashier's check. It is true there are lots of bottom feeders out there and I ain't talkin' about fish.

How do you handle it?

Here is the back story. We have always been a television family. I grew up in a television family. Those people that grew up with out t.v.? Can't relate nor do I wish to. I know, I know, it is a luxury not a necessity. Well, anyway we are a T.V. family and we have not had quality T.V. for over a month now. I rigged up some antenna thing so we could watch very snowy distorted T.V. or more like "listen" to it. Today was to be the day the Comcast would come to rescue us. When the installer finally showed up, it was just a nightmare. Started right off with asking me for my I.D. then told me he could not hook up two of the three televisions because of logistics and this house not having any cable boxes. It is against Comcast policy to drill into a stucco house. It is against Comcast policy to go into your basement and wire from there. It is against Comcast policy to use the same hole that Verizon drilled into our stucco house. If Comcast had a stucco non drilling policy in So. Cal, they would have NO business. While I showed LARGE amounts of disdain for this installer, I proceeded to try to talk to two different entities with Comcast. Neither could help. I finally asked him to leave as he would be no use to me and that I would not ever use them or recommend them. I should have known when their annoying commercials came on every 3 minutes that it was not going to be a great match. I have never had a service tech come into my home and push me to anger in three seconds or less. And to top it all off? He pulled my little cable antenna rig thing out of the wall! Little did he know that I am an expert at making something work with wire and duct tape if I have to. Especially when it is something I really want. The comedy of this situation is that while we have the antenna reception, even that will be unavailable to us after June 12!!!!!! That is when it all goes digital! Eye yi yi...First no FIOS, then no direct T.V. because of trees and now no cable. We four are feeling kinda low about it. No t.v. love is being shown to us at all...