My Color Is Crimson

Football Season has begun! It didn't exactly start how I would have liked though - losing 39 - 13 - Dang! But let's start at the beginning!

I met Mom and Dad at the Eastgate P&R so we could all ride in one car. Traffic was great until we got to the 4th Street exit and then it was backed up - everyone heading to the game. All the cars were full of Crimson and Gray - Gotta Love It in Seattle!! We parked at the Qwest Parking Garage - Dad and I have a running thing about this because every year he complains about the cost of parking in Seattle - when we pulled in to park he asked - Now when is it that I usually complain - is it up here at the gal that's taking the money. We all laughed! We parked on Level 5 which was great because we were able to walk right on to the level where our seats were. Last year we had to walk up and up and up. The seats were at Club Level and they were in a great section - 231 - and row B! We met up with Jason - a guy from my office who used L's ticket when she decided not to go. Got to our seats and then Dad and I went to go get hot dogs and popcorn. We place our order and then the guy tells us - after we have paid - that it will be about 15 minutes for the hot dogs because they ran out!!!! Can you believe it - who runs out of hot dogs at a concession stand before the game has even started! We got our money back and just took the tub of popcorn. We got our hot dogs form a different stand after the first quarter.

The first half was just miserable - Our QB wasn't making connections - the kicker sucked - his kick-offs were short and fast so the defense never even had a chance to get down the field before the other team caught the ball and was running back and then after our first touchdown he missed the field goal!! Man, I miss the team we had a couple years ago - I hate it when the good players graduate and you have to rebuild the team. This could be a very sad season. On a good note - the traditions are still there - Every time the Cougs made a first down the whole crowd say And That's Another Cougar First Down and makes the first down move with their arm! When the defense is holding off the other team the marching band plays the Theme From Jaws and everyone moves their arms like a shark snapping. Fun Fun Fun!!

Overall - the game was a blast even though the outcome was sad. I enjoy going to the game every year - one of these years I need to actually head to Pullman and see a game there - I haven't been back on campus since I graduated - oh so many years ago!

On a side note - the Huskies lost too!

L is barbecuing us some steak right now and I need to go cook some corn on the cob. Enjoy the rest of your 3 Day Weekend!

De

Go Cougars + A Plea For an Email Address!

It's Labor Day Weekend!! It's about time - although the year has gone by rather quickly - can't believe it's almost September already - this week went really slow!! I have been looking forward to this long weekend for awhile.

Cougar Game tomorrow!! I went to the WSU Store in Westlake Mall this afternoon - crowded - lots of Alumni! I got a T-shirt, a bag, some earrings, and a window cling for my car. I am so ready to be decked out in Crimson and Gray tomorrow and rooting on my team!! Game starts at 12:30 - hopefully it won't be raining - we have pretty good seats - under cover - so we should stay warm and dry. I need to look in my dresser to see if I can find Muppet's T-shirt and bandanna. She won't be at the game but she certainly needs to be dressed in her colors!

I don't know who all reads my blog - I emailed the link to family and friends at the beginning of the year. I think one of the email addresses I had has changed. So. . . . . Doug, if you happen to read this blog can you send me an email because I think the address I have for you doesn't work anymore - or else I just have it written down wrong. wazzudb@comcast.net

L has been working long hours this week - people have been calling in sick all week and she has been little miss reliable - they have really appreciated her coming in but L is very tired and very cranky today. She has been in the yellow room - 2 year olds - most of the week and she just said she hates 2 year olds!! I guess they have been coloring on the walls and there are a couple of very aggressive biters int hat class. I told her yesterday that she was a biter when she was that age - she bit her cousin Krystina because of a toy not being shared. L likes to work with the school age kids - I hope if they bring her on full-time they give her that age group - I think she would do well.

I am going to go straighten up my kitchen and bedroom and put together all of my Cougar Paraphernalia!! Go Cougs!!

De

Countdown To 3-Day Weekend!

OK - so today went pretty well. We had a Quarterly Luncheon at work today - just the Finance Department - we went to a place on 5th Ave called Rock Bottom. They pre-ordered appetizers and they were set-up buffet style when we got there. Ribs - Chicken Strips - Taquitos - Potato Skins - Chips and a Cheesy Dip. Then it was time to order lunch. I had Salmon Fish and Chips - it was OK - really "fishy" tasting and rather greasy. The appetizers were the best part - there was so much leftover that we brought it back to work. I was planning on bringing Potato Skins home for dinner - but smart me left them sitting on my desk. That's gonna be nice tomorrow morning!!

Tonight L and I went on a trip to Target - I needed to get a new belt. We actually made it through the whole trip and back home without having one argument!! It was a productive trip - cuz you know me - I don't go in to Target and just get was on my list!! I went through the clearance racks and found a pair of jeans and a shirt that were 50% off! I found a shirt for L too that was on clearance and then I got her a pair of jeans. She was very appreciative and thanked me at least 3 times for them - and she thanked me for dinner too. OK - pick yourselves up off the floor!! I think it's the same L in my house - I'm sure the "real" L will show up eventually but it's nice to have a break from her.

I am baking muffins right now - a little late but I'm not tired. L's friend Megan is over right now - she drives me a little nuts. She's more hyper and even louder than L - hard to believe but true. These 2 - I never know how it's going to be - they either hate each other or are best friends. I guess were in a friends stage.

The first batch of muffins came out - Fresh Blueberry made from scratch! I tried one - pretty darn good if I do say so myself! Just one more small batch - had to use up all the batter - is in the oven and then I am heading to bed.

Tomorrow is Friday followed by a 3-Day weekend. Whatever your plans are - stay safe and have fun.

De

Updates - 37 days until Vegas!!!

Happy Post!

Good Evening Happy Readers! I looked back at some of my posts lately and they have been kind of cranky - negative - downers. So I thought I when I blogged tonight I would make it a little more positive! Time to look at some positive things happening:

1. L and I haven't gotten in a big knock down drag out fight in about 2 weeks.
2. The animals are all fairly healthy right now. This is the first month in a long time that I haven't had huge vet bills to cover.
3. Both my parents are healthy. A friend of L's lost his grandmother today and we were talking about how lucky she is that she has both sets of grandparents. She agreed.
4. I have 2 new Hidden Object computer games to play!
5. Cougar Football starts on Saturday!!! Yay!!! I am so ready to eat, breathe, and live Crimson and Gray!!
6. My Starbucks isn't on the list of closures!
7. 3 Day weekend coming up!

Lindsay and I IM each other during the day while were at work - me in Seattle and her in Texas - yesterday when she left to go home she told me to come in today prepared with a list of topics!! So this morning I gave her a some topics we could chat about and she chose Diet Pepsi -vs- Diet Coke. People have a definite preference! Personally I am a Diet Pepsi fan!! Although I prefer Regular Coke over Pepsi. It is funny - at work we get free pop and when the Diet Coke has run out the people that drink that go into withdrawals and there is no way they will drink a Diet Pepsi.

So tell me - which one are you - a Diet Coke person or a Diet Pepsi person. Mark your answer in the poll just under my picture - or you can leave me a comment.

Well - good night readers! I'm going to go watch Project Runway and get some sleep.

De

Tourists

I have noticed - while walking to the bus - that there are a lot of tourists that wander around Seattle. I can tell they are tourists because they have fanny packs on their waists, they are either holding cameras or have them around their necks, and they all have maps of the city. They all seem to stop in the middle of the sidewalk and gather around in a circle to all look at one map - come on - some of us have worked all day and just want to get to the bus before we miss it. Why would somebody want to go to Seattle on vacation anyways - I mean really - it's rainy, there's nothing exciting to do, and it's not like there's an easy way to get around the city.

I tried to think of the city from an outsiders point of view - see what might be interesting to them. I see a lot of tourists taking pictures of the buildings - I take for granted that Seattle has some really tall buildings with distinctive architecture - if you've never been to a city the buildings are probably awe inspiring. I remember the first time I got off the bus to go to work - two years ago - I kept staring up at the buildings and thinking how cool it was to see the tall buildings and seagulls.

The shopping is pretty good in Seattle too - two malls at Westlake with a variety of stores as well as stores around the malls. Where else can you shop for high end clothes and then walk five blocks to a large Farmer's Market - Pike Place Market. After shopping you can then go ride the Ferry Boats around Puget Sound.

OK - so I guess I can understand why people might come here for vacation! Just need to look at the city through tourists eyes. They just need to move out of my way so I don't miss the bus!

De

Reflections

I have been complaining about the weather lately - I mean come on - it's the middle of August and it's only 60* and it's raining! When I left work today it was getting dark and the rain was coming down in buckets. What a crazy summer - if you can even call it that.

This has been a real crazy weekend - more people are signing on to Facebook and I have added some old friends form both high school and college. It has gotten me thinking a lot about the past - which with me is not always a good thing - reflecting on coulda woulda shoulda things tends to get me in an "I Hate My Life" mood. It seems like people I knew back in High School are all happily married and living great lives - mostly guys that I treated poorly and broke up with in not such nice ways - it started me thinking about Karma and how maybe this is Karma coming to bite me in the butt - maybe if I had appreciated the ones who treated me well I wouldn't be alone now.

I need to go get some sleep.

De

Buffy In A Bag

The crisis with L seems to be over. She was so upset last night but today it's like nothing ever happened. Not sure where she got the ability to just let things go - I am almost 44 and I haven't figured out how to do that yet. Her boyfriend called her last night at 1230 and everything seems to be fine. She went to a family gathering, his Mom's family, with him today and had a great time. She said they all really liked her and told her she was part of the family now. He seems to be a good guy too. He is 20, has 2jobs right now, is going to go to BCC, and then hopes to go on to UW - his only flaw!! She seems to be happy - which is good. I just got done putting hair dye on her - last time we did this it turned in to a fight because she criticized how I was doing everything. This time she didn't criticize, actually said I did a good job, and thanked me. I know - I was surprised too!!

Ends up L didn't need to take a written exam for her drivers license because she took and passed one for her permit - all she needed to do was schedule the driving test and do that. She could have done that back in May if she had bothered to look into it at all. Oh well, she now has her test scheduled for Sept 30 at 830. Next thing is to work on getting insurance - she wanted me to add her to mine but I just don't want another bill that I have to try and collect from her.

On a lighter note - here are some pictures of Buffy - she likes to crawl inside things to sleep and had been working on this canvas bag for awhile this week when she finally figured out how to get inside and sleep. Enjoy! De

People Can Be Cruel

People can be so cruel. Especially in this day and age with the Internet and the ability to be anonymous. What brings this up? L is in her room right now very upset because of what some "friends" have been posting anonymously on her MySpace Truth Box. It is cruel and just not right. Of course - people are always braver and more mean and spiteful when they are anonymous and don't have to worry about their target being able to come after them. That's got to be the only reason someone would try to piss off L. She is not someone you want to mess with. I asked her if just anyone could post things and she said no - that they had to be in her friends list to be able to do so. She has gone through and deleted a bunch of people that she doesn't really talk with anymore - hopefully this will make it stop. L was already not in the best of moods - her boyfriend was suppose to call her tonight and he hasn't. Last night he asked if she was doing anything Saturday night - she said no - he said good he'd give her a call. Well, he hasn't called and didn't pick up when she called him. She posted on her MySpace that she was sad and then that's when this "friend" posted a hateful thing - calling her names like shovel face and down syndrome face. I wish I could get my hands on these people. L comes across as a very tough girl acting like things don't get to her - but they do.

De

LOL Cats!

I am posting late tonight. I did a short run to the grocery store on my way home - unloaded groceries - then L came home not feeling well. She took her temp - it was 101.4 - L always runs high temps when she is sick. I told her to take some Tylenol and go to bed - I guess I didn't say it in a kind enough motherly voice because she started throwing things down on the ground and mouthing off to me about not caring that she's sick - she'll just take care of herself - maybe she'll just go to her room and die. Good Grief - can you say drama queen!! After that fun episode I cooked some dinner - Stroganoff and Rice - comfort food. Then it was time to watch Big Brother!! Love that show!! It was the Live Eviction - the person I wanted gone was voted out - Yay!! The HOH competition is an endurance competition - so you know me - absolutely no patience for waiting until Sunday to find out who wins - I went to my favorite Big Brother Blog to find out who won. I won't give it away though!

I finally pulled out my computer to start writing - but I got sidetracked by the funniest website. My Mom sent me an email yesterday that had pics of kittens with funny captions - I figured out which website they came from and have been laughing so much tonight!! I mean real belly laughs - shared of course with L! If you need a good laugh - a mood lifter - something to make you smile - you need to go to this site - it is so worth it. Here's a couple to get you hooked!

Tomorrows Friday!!

De

August or October

I Love Living In Seattle . . . . . I Love Living In Seattle. . . . . I Love Living In Seattle. . . . . . . . . (repeat as many times as needed to get through the day!)

This is my mantra today - we are having an October day in August - dark, rainy, cold. It is so depressing. I think our summer is over! Which - I guess - is pretty much on schedule for Seattle seeing as Labor Day is a week and a half away. This also marks the beginning of my favorite part of the year - WSU Cougar Football Season!!!!!!!!! Opening game is in Seattle on 8/30! I am very excited and starting to get my gear together!

Right now I am baking a cake - I haven't baked a cake in forever so I hope it turns out. A guy at work was sworn in as a citizen this afternoon so we are going to celebrate tomorrow. Right after he left for the day we decorated his cube in Red, White, and Blue. - lots of streamers - flags - confetti! I don't think I'm going to get the cake frosted tonight - I'll need to try and get up early tomorrow and make it up before I leave - definitely driving tomorrow - not dragging the cake on the bus!

I ate a little something for dinner tonight and now I have a sour stomach - this is getting old. I am tired of saltines and ginger ale.

De

****Countdown update - 45 days until Vegas Baby!!******

L, L, L. . . . . . . . .

Did you hear that - that thudding sound - that was the other shoe dropping!

I've been saying things were going too well - something was bound to happen - and it has. This morning L IM'd me before she left for work and said she needed to talk to me tonight - I asked "about?" - and it took awhile for her to respond - I think she was typing out what she needed to talk to me about and then changed her mind and just sent - Something that happened 2 days ago that she needed my help with and that she would talk to me tonight. Let the wild thoughts and worrying begin!!

So - what do you think it is? I'll give you a hint - it's something that we all thought might happen - and no she's not pregnant.

On Sunday L went to go pick a friend up at the QFC - she put some gas in her car and went to head home. As she was pulling out of the QFC parking lot her friend noticed that a cop was behind them - L realized that the cop was following her - as soon as she got pulled out on to Klahanie Blvd the cop turned on his lights and pulled her over. Now - what's on of the first things a cop asks for when he pulls you over . . . . . yup - your license and registration. She has the registration but no license. Strike One. The next thing he asked for was her proof of insurance. Strike Two. And the reason she was pulled over - expired tabs. Strike Three - you're out.

She's lucky that the cop wasn't in a rotten mood - he told her that he could arrest her and have her car impounded. Instead he had her call a friend - who is a licensed driver - to come drive her car home. He wasn't feeling all forgiving though as he did write her up for no license and no insurance - how much do you think that ticket is for? Well - No License $124. No Insurance $550. Being able to say I told you so - Priceless!

Here's her plan - 1. Mom pays for the ticket. 2. When she gets paid on Sept 5 she will sign her whole check over to me. 3. This Saturday I take her to do the written exam. 4. She get the driving test scheduled ASAP. She is not driving her car until all issues have been taken care of. For right now she has been scared straight - we'll see how long that lasts.

De

Obsession - Depression

Well - the flu came back - or it just was never gone. I stayed home form work today. I tried to VPN (not sure what that stands for) in to my work computer but it wouldn't give me access. Hopefully I will get that worked out for the next time I am home.

Besides the flu I am also going through Twilight, Bella, Edward withdrawals. How am I to survive with no new books to read. I swear - I have never been so obsessed over a book or characters before. It's like they were real friends that have gone away and you don't know if or when they will return. I know - sounds a little crazy but I have found some message boards and I am so not the only one!! I found a song by Danity Kane - Stay With Me - that should be the soundtrack for the series. The movie comes out in November so I will just have to try and survive the next 3 months before I can get my Edward fix.

A big problem with becoming obsessed with the Twilight Series is it's a romance and Edward just doesn't exist in the real world. For all the love I have for the story - it did kinda make me a bit depressed over my lack of a love life. You know - when you're in high school, college, or in your early 20's the world is made for finding someone to have a relationship with but when you're in your 40s the world gives you nothing. There's no place that is set up for meeting people like when you were in school. I am open to any suggestions and/or ideas!!

One more gripe I have with society - when a man in his 40s is carrying around some extra pounds no one thinks twice about it - but when a woman is carrying around extra pounds society has a way of making you feel like you are less than worthy and that the only way to be accepted and to be worthy of anyone thinking of you in a romantic way is to be a size 2.

Hmmmm - feeling a little cranky right now.

De

Breaking Dawn

I have finally finished the books!!!! Breaking Dawn was different from the other 3 but I liked it just as much - I didn't cry as much which was nice! Part of me is sad that it is the end because I really liked all of the characters and the stories but the other part of me is glad that the obsession is over! It's hard when all you want to do is read read read!

I am up in La Conner right now - definitely a lot cooler up here than back home. L didn't want to come with me so she is at home - hope the place is still standing when I get back. Only plans for today are to head to the Berry Barn to get some fresh berries and then just hang out in the cool weather - it actually rained here this morning!

I thought I was over the little flu bug I had on Wednesday but I'm not. I am taking it easy - we'll see if I go to work tomorrow. It's like I'm in between feeling sick and being full blown sick - not sure which direction it's going to take. I just want to feel better.

Nothing to read today - which will be very weird. I think I will wait awhile before I start another "series"!!

De

Book Break!

I am taking a break from my book - I know shocking!! I started the final book today and I am now about 2/3 of the way through it. I figured it was a good place to stop - everything seems to be going to a happy ending but there is still quite a few pages to go and I don't think I can handle the emotions!! I am excited to finish this book though - I will be able to discuss it with Putbory on Monday - That's the thing with books like this - you want to be able to talk to someone about all the little details!

I haven't done any updates on L for awhile. Things seem to be just going along right now - I'm not wanting to rock the boat. She is still just working 6 hours a day - has not taken the written part of her driving test - has not made any attempt to get herself registered for school. I brought the subject up once at the beginning of the week and she tried to play it off that it was my fault somehow. She said she couldn't take the compass test on the weekend - I told her to get out of bed then and go during the week - she made some smart ass comment about me not wanting to share in this with her - that she thought it was an import thing I would want to be a part of. I told her that 1 - she had never asked me to go with her so she couldn't blame me for the fact that it hasn't gotten done. 2 - I registered myself on my first day of college, she shouldn't need me there to hold her hand. 3 - If she put this off any longer she was going to be too late to register for fall semester and you could only start new programs in the fall so she would have to wait a whole year. Oh - she also came back with - I should have been asking her about it and not waiting until it was almost too late. Hmmm . . . . I seem tot remember having this conversation with her before and her telling me that when I brought it up it just stressed her out and for me to not talk about it. She will do and say anything to twist things around so she doesn't have to take responsibility for anything. I am thinking it is time to give her another deadline. Maybe I will give it to her in a note this time!!

She came home from work this evening - walked in bitching about how hot it was - changed her clothes and left. I have no idea where she went or when she will be home. I guess I will leave her a note letting her know that Muppet and I are going up to LaConner tomorrow where it will be cooler so we aren't sweating in this condo. It is currently 82* inside the condo - I'm dyin!

I am heading to bed - have a great weekend.

De

I made it through work today. I came prepared - saltines and ginger ale! I also have finished book 3 of the Twilight Series. Eclipse was just as good as the first 2 and I am now ready to start the fourth and final book. This book had me on an emotional roller coaster - I started crying again and this time I wasn't lucky enough to be at home - yup started crying on the bus. I then had to go to the grocery store with puffy eyes - I kept my sunglasses on! When I got home I finished the book - crying yet some more. I am ready to start on the final book but I think I should give myself a bit of a break and put off starting it until tomorrow night - I will then have the whole weekend to read it and then recuperate. I know - a little addicted!! I tell ya though - incredible series and I can't believe that Stephenie Meyer never planned on being a writer - this story just started out as a dream she had and built on from there. I'm glad it did!

De

Sick and Tired / Sick or Tired

Not a lot to write about tonight. I only made it through 3 hours of work today - 1/2 hour of that spent trying not to throw up. Not sure what I have - whether it is the flu or after effects from reading all night on Monday - but it hit me like a ton of bricks after I got to work. I started shaking - and without going in to too much detail let's just say I wasn't sure which end the illness was going to effect. I then had to survive an hour long bus ride home - luckily it was a Sound Transit bus so there was air-conditioning - and lots of deep breathing. After I got home I laid down and slept until L came home at 545. Still feeling a little shaky so I'm going to head to bed and hope this thing was just a 24 hour bug.

De

New Moon

I am exhausted - i just don't bounce back form sleep deprivation like I used to. I was doing fine at work today - brain just felt a bit mushy - I was even thinking that I might spend some time tonight reading book 3. It kept calling to me form my car during the day :D read me. . . . . Read Me . . READ ME. . . . . . . . It is like an addiction/obsession!! I just need to know what happens. But - I am not going to open the book tonight. I know I wouldn't be able to function if I read through the night twice in a row. The second book - New Moon - was just as good as the first. Sucked me right in from the beginning - of course seeing as I was up all night. It had me crying pretty good last night. Tears streaming down my face - hard to breathe. I know - kinda weird - but this book really gets you way down deep in your soul.

I'm sounding/feeling a bit punchy - I'm going to sleep!

De

Twilight Saga

Wow - this is a late post. When I was on my way home I got a call from Lyd wanting to meet for dinner and a trip to Costco. We went to Cucina Cucina - I had a Chopped Salad . . . . . yummy! The service was really slooooooowwwwwww - we headed to Costco around 715. Lyd needed to do her regular monthly Costco shopping - the pros t having a garage and a second refrigerator!! I got some blueberries, Hot Pockets for L, and 2 books for me!

In my previous post I wrote about starting the Twilight series. Stephanie Meyer has a wonderful style of writing that makes you feel like you are right there - the characters become so real - I could feel the emotions of the main character - I laughed and cried when I read the first book. I started the second one today on the bus - yup - started crying on my way in and got so in to the book that I almost missed my bus stop. I want to start reading again tonight but I am afraid I won't be able to put it down and I may be up all night reading! At Costco I bought the 3rd and 4th books in the series. The story takes place in Forks, WA. There was an article in the paper a couple weeks ago that fans of the series are actually going to Forks and looking for Bella Swan's house! There is a house there that looks exactly like the house described in the book and the name out on the street . . . . . . Swan! People are having their pictures taken in front of the house. I may just have to take a trip out there one of these days. It's been along time since I have felt this way about a book - it's kinda nice - although part of me doesn't want to finish the books because it will be over then. Except . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Twilight the Movie is coming out 12.12.08!!! That is one movie I may have to take the day off of work so I can be there to see the first showing!!

Off to read!!!!!!!

De

****UPDATE***
I was up until 4am reading the second book New Moon!! Started and finished it in one day.

Chelan

I have returned from Chelan. Next time I need to spend more time. I just got relaxed when it was time to come home. The place I stayed, Kelly's Resort, was exactly how I pictured it - a cabin in the woods. From the outside it looked very old and rustic but inside, it was very clean with wood floors and walls. The bed was comfortable and the cabins are far enough apart that you can't hear anyone else.

The first change I noticed was on the drive to Chelan. I was going to stop at the Rocky Reach Dam and let Muppet chase bunnies - or just look at them - but when we got to the dam they have changed everything. There are no bunnies. :(

I drove by the old house in Manson. It is a different color now and the garage has been turned into a Salon. It was weird to see it and know that there were other people living in it. Manson has changed too. The bakery where we used to get the most wonderful cinnamon apple rolls and maple bars is no longer there. The smoothie/deli store is gone as well as the Espresso stand where we used to get coffee and Italian Sodas. The old Laura's is now a Manson Bay Coffee Co store. There is a Red Apple grocery store there now so no having to run top Chelan if you need to get something. Uncle Tim's is still there - I wish I was staying closer to Manson so I could have had their pizza - which is some of the best pizza I have ever had.
Chelan has changed too - there are more condos/townhouses along the lake and new ones being built - there is a large complex being built across the street from the city park. The great bakery in Chelan is gone too - it has been replaced with a Starbucks. All this change but at least one thing had stayed the same - Lakeside Drive-In and the Bucket of Fries!! They tasted great - Muppet wasn't too sure about them but I loved them. I sat in the shade at a picnic table and read my book and ate fries - Muppet was under the table with a little bowl of water they gave me for her. I was going to go hang at the beach with Mup but the heat seemed to be getting to her so we headed back to our little cabin. She went to sleep and I kept reading - I just started the Twilight Saga - I read book 1 in one day, it was sooooooo good. While I was reading though Muppet had a seizure. I am hoping it was just because of the heat. When it had cooled off some I took her for a walk down to the beach. I set her on the rocks and let the waves lap up against her feet. She wasn't real sure about it and when a bigger wave rolled up and came up to her tummy she jumped back up onto the dock!

Next year I am going to plan more in advance so I can spend more time on vacation. I miss the week long family vacations we used to take. It would be great if the Texas part of the family could come up here and we could all go to Chelan together like we used to. There are a few houses in Manson that we could rent. It would be fun.







De

Heading To Chelan

I'm off for my relaxing weekend. I won't have Internet access so I will not be able to blog until I get back sometime on Sunday. Have a great weekend!

De

Are Comcast and Enterprise Run By The Same People

Well, after last nights non-comcastic evening I was thrilled to find the phone and Internet working when I got home. Not sure I wanted to listen to L bitch and moan about not having her life lines!

This morning I dropped my car off at the shop - really squeaky brakes, oil change, and the power outlet wasn't working. I had called ahead and reserved a rental car so I could get in to work. Should have been very straightforward - no issues - get to work by 830 no problem. Yeah right!

I drop the car off with not problem - had to wait 15 min for the Enterprise Rental car person to come over. We filled out the paperwork and then had to drive across the street to get the car. Now - let me preface the next part with the fact that when I made the reservation I was very clear that I wanted a small car - nothing big. You know where this is going! We get to the lot - go in to get the keys - and yup - a Ford 250 truck - HUGE!!! No way am I going to drive this sucker in to Seattle and try to get it in to a parking spot. The gal then asks if I just want to use it to go to the park and ride - yeah right, spend $50 to park it in a lot 1/2 a mile away from where i was - No Thank You. She drove me over to the new Issaquah Transit Center to catch a bus. I got there at 815 - the bus had just left. I then looked at the schedule and the next bus wasn't going to be there until 845 and that was the last bus leaving to go to Seattle in the morning. I waited and caught that bus - oh yeah, it was a Sound Transit bus so it cost .25 more than the Metro I usually take - so I needed an additional quarter to add to my bus pass - nope, no quarters in mu pockets or my purse so for a 2.50 ride I paid 3.25. As the bus was pulling in to Seattle off of I90 my phone went off - it was the shop - my brakes were fine and didn't need to be replaced - the power outlet just needed a new fuse - it was ready and I could come get it any time. You've got to be kidding! I could have just sat at the shop and waited for it and probably still gotten to work at the same time I already did. All I can say is - Thank God I have tomorrow off - I need a vacation!

De

Comcast Sucks!

No post last night because when I got home both my phone and my Internet were out! I called Comcast on my cell - the customer service gal was nice enough but I don't think she knew anything - she asked me to push the reset button on the modem and when that didn't work she had no idea what to do next. She then said - "Well, I'll pass this on to a technician and someone should call you later to check on how the service is." No call came but everything was back up and working this morning. The funniest part was when the service rep asked if my home phone number was a good one for the technician to call me at - uh no! I Have No Phone Service!!!! Oh, should we call you on another number then - probably would be a good idea!

I am really busy at work right now but I will write tonight - updating you on my fun experience with dropping off my car this morning to get some work done!

De

It's Official

It's official - my Chelan trip is going to be nice and quiet and just me and my dog! L's new friend Phil is having a party on Friday and she would much rather go to that than hang out with her Mom in the woods with no friends and no Internet - darn! I plan on doing some reading - walking - reminiscing about the family vacations - and getting rejuvenated! I will go out to Manson to see the old house and see if the town has changed much. The only bad part about going on my own is the long drive there and back with no one to talk to but the dog. Oh well, I will just put some play lists together on my iPod - nothing can compare to the Summer Lovin' tour though!!!! I could always get a book on CD and just listen to a book on my way there - we'll wait and see.

Month end is actually going pretty well for me this time around - knock on wood. I am ahead of my deadlines so when I leave on Thursday there shouldn't be any issues left on my desk.

L is still in a nasty mood - even though she got paid today - was able to make her rent - get gas - and buy cigarettes. I think we went just about a month without any drama though and if a nasty mood is the only drama right now we're doing pretty good. It will be nice to get away from her for a bit though.

De

Chelan Trip

My Chelan trip is turning out to be just Muppet and Me I believe - I came home tonight and things were going just fine - I started peeling peaches and chopping them up to make a Peach Crisp for work tomorrow - I was halfway through when L asked me if I was almost done - sure, why? - She wanted to know if I would braid her hair - sure, I just have 3 more peaches to do. Well, I guess I wasn't peeling and chopping fast enough for her because she came back to the kitchen and started tapping on the wall and giving me the dirtiest look - I asked her what her problem was and she asked me if I could go any slower. I tried to reason with her and said that I was in the middle of the peaches when she asked me to do her a favor - it's not like I said yes to the braiding and then started the peaches - and that I was almost done. She then goes back to her bathroom and cranks up her music. I asked her to turn it down - she said only if I was done and ready to do her hair. When she came back out I asked her if she was going to be like this in Chelan and she said - well probably if all she was going to get to do was sit around. I told her to stay home then because I didn't want to deal with her bitchiness on my vacation. She said she wanted to get tan - I told her it was going to be nice here and she could just hang at the pool.

I did start braiding her hair - she bitched at me most of the time - when I was done she went in to her room, changed, grabbed her stuff, and headed to the door. I asked her where she was going - she said she didn't know - it depended on how much gas she had - she just had to get out of the house.

Her explanation for being "cranky" is that she is out of cigarettes - addicted much! When I had asked her about her attitude for Chelan she said it depended on whether she had cigarettes or not - I reminded her that she had said she wouldn't smoke on vacation and she said that was before she didn't have any friends going with her - what else was she supposed to do to entertain herself.

So - I am thinking it will be a nice quiet trip - just me and the dog.

De

Mariner's Lose Again

Well - my luck with Mariner's games has not changed - they lost last night. I had a good time though with Lyd. We had our garlic fries - and a cheeseburger that wasn't very good. The seats were pretty good - 3rd level, 2nd row, along the between 3rd and home. We got to our seats just as the grounds crew started doing one of their dances! Yay! We watched some of the game - mostly just sat, talked, and caught up on what's been going on. We left at the bottom of the 9th inning - the score was 3 to 1 and we could tell by the way the Mariner's were playing that they weren't going to have a rally and beat them in the 9th. Lyd came up to the house when she dropped me off and we sat and talked for about another hour.

L wasn't home when we got there - I thought I was going to come home to a group of kids in my house because all day L was very interested in whether i was going to the game, when I was going to be leaving for the game, and did I know when I was going to be home. Call me paranoid - but that usually means she is trying to see how much time she has to cause trouble. She didn't come home until about 1030 this morning - said she was at someones place on Mercer Island - some guy she had met the night before at a party in Kirkland. Today she went and picked up Tommy - her ex from last summer - the one who got her into all kinds of drugs - which I found out included Cocaine. She brought him back to the house - he seemed OK and they hung out here and just talked. She just left to take him home.

I went to the Farmer's Market yesterday - got there too late to get any Rainier Cherries - they went fast and there weren't very vendors that had them - the sweet corn went really fast too. I was able to get some raspberries and blueberries. I also got some peaches - I am thinking about making a pie or tarts - depends on how much filling I can get out of the peaches I got. I was going to try and make it today but I was too lazy!

While I was at the Market I ran in to Merilyn - I hadn't seen her since she came to pick up L for the family reunion trip. She said that L was pretty well behaved the whole week - that's good to hear. She of course brought up whether L had gotten insurance or a drivers license yet - no - she wanted to make sure that I knew if L go in an accident they might come after me - I assured her that they couldn't because L is an adult and my name is not attached to her car at all. My Mom keeps bringing it up too. OK - I understand that she needs to get these - do people really think I haven't talked to L about it - I Can't Make Her Do Anything!! She is an adult - the car is in her name and her name only - the consequences will be hers to deal with if anything happens.

BB10 is on - I already know who wins HOH but it's fun to watch.

De

Blue Angels and other things. . . . . .

The weeks is finally over - did anyone else think it lasted just a little too long! I spent my bus rides this week watching Season 2 of Dexter on my iPod - if you have never seen this show I highly recommend it - I love it so much that I am tempted to order Showtime just so I can get Season 3 sooner and not have to wait a whole nother year to see it. I finished watching last night so I started on a new book this morning on the bus. I am not one who usually reads non-fiction books but I heard about one based on an incident that happened here during WWII - the book is called On American Soil and it takes place at Fort Lawton in Seattle - which is now Discovery Park in Seattle. I just started it but so far I really like it - I have to keep reminding myself that the people I am reading about are real people and the things that happened to them are real too. Some of it is very sad.

At work yesterday and today I got to see Blue Angels flying around! They were doing their practice runs for the Seafair shows this weekend. It was hard to catch them though because by the time you hear the sound over the building they are already gone and you're not sure which direction they went. Yesterday I was lucky enough to see 4 of them in a diamond formation over Puget Sound - absolutely incredible.

I got 2 free tickets for the Mariner's game tomorrow - Lyd got home early from her camping trip so she is going to go with me. Colleen and her family were at the game yesterday down in Texas and it was the first time they've been at a game where the Mariner's won in about 3 years!! I have just as bad of luck so maybe my streak will end tomorrow too and I will get to see them win. I mostly go for the food! Kidd Valley Burgers and Garlic Fries!! Yummy!!! It is a night game so I may head to the Issaquah Farmer's Market in the morning- I am hoping that the Rainier Cherry season isn't over - the ones I got last week were so sweet - big - and good! I put them out at work for others to eat - I was eating too many and I didn't want to make myself sick. Usually when I make myself sick on some kind of food I can't eat it again for awhile and I love Rainier Cherries - didn't want to ruin that.



De