They Pulled It Off

OD and YD pulled Christmas off for me. I had next to nothing to give, not enough money to really do anything with and yet, we all banded together at their urgings and managed to get something for each of us from each of us. It was just fun to see what we came up with.
We had dinner at my dad's house with him and his girlfriend. She is a wonderful woman. She cooks the simplest foods and yet it feels gourmet. I am glad we got to spend that time with them.
Unfortunately, at dinner my dad was asking how everything was going. And how MD is and where she is. (Of course, she was glaringly absent from the table) I don't like lying to him, but telling him the truth about where MD was is not something I want to bring up at Christmas dinner. So I told him she had to work. In actuality, she has moved. It was not a fun move for either of us.
I have hope for the New Year. I hope I get better. I hope MD gets better...really better. I hope she learns about real life and what she needs to do to make it a good life. I hope I can get my house and home back to where it should be.
I know YD and OD will help me pull that off too.
My wish is that all of you have the best New Year possible and that we can continue our Bloggy Internet friendships throughout the year!
CHEERS!

Commercials I Love

I know I need a life...maybe I watch too much TV...every single time the TV is on and this commercial starts up, EVERYTHING stops and I sit and watch it. I can't tell you how much pleasure I get from this commercial. Now it's on my blog and I will probably watch it many, many more times. (BTW, I have Geico insurance, I've never been attacked by a pothole)





Here's another one: It's older, but still cracks me up when I see it, "Sorry, Roger, You Tiger now!"

Judge Judy

This is my girlfriend's son and his new wife!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uA_02ebi5k
and then part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uK8t28HA37w
Sorry, I didn't think to put up the link to Part 2!

A Project I Actually Finished!

I know for a fact, that it is not as cold here in "sunny" California than say, in Maine right now. But it IS cold for what we are used to. (that being said, we are experiencing higher temps than usual. Go figure!) N. E. WAY...
I started a scarf with these new loom thingys that were on sale at Joann's Fabrics. I had to go to Joann's to pass some time while I was waiting for my computer to get discombobulated or something like that. Of course, I cannot walk into Joann's without walking out with something! It's just the way I am wired.
Yes, and so. I made this scarf and finished it, because, like I said before, it's cold...for me, here.
I love how it turned out, even though it is my very first attempt at anything on these looms. If anyone makes fun of it, I will challenge them to a loom fight, to see if they could do better. It only took me a few evenings of knitting on the loom, the weave is loose, but that is okay too, because the yarn is really soft and fuzzy, so the scarf is light and not trying to drag my head down.
I put the fringe on it this morning while listening to my girls argue over who used the last of the milk. I laid it on the table and trimmed the longer fringe lengths and wa-la, a nice, soft, warm scarf! Finished!

A Small Favor

Hey! Everybody! I need to ask a favor. Would you all run over to Suzanne McMinn's blog and give her a vote? She is applying for a job on SAM-e. I'm not great at explaining what SAM-e is about, but I know that Suzanne will be writing for them, and I believe she deserves that job!
But if you have a minute, would you please go over and vote for her? She has made it really easy for everyone to link over and vote. I can also say that Suzanne has a really fun blog to read. She has a little farm in West Virginia, and has miniture goats, miniture donkeys and a gigantic dog, plus chickens and ducks! Go see what she's up to today and give a vote please???
Her blog is Chickens in the Road.

I be having chickens!!!!!

It's little hard to see them in their brooding cage. (YD threw that cage together in a couple of hours. I had pallets and leftover aviary wire from work and she didn't feel like sawing the wood to make it fit properly, so it is literally thrown together. We scrounged up some nails that I had sitting around in the garage. It was a little crazy. They had to be put in a brooding pen. They were only two days old. We have the momma hen (she is a true bitch, took a hunk of skin off of YD's finger) These were "free range" chickens from the ranch where YD works. The hen laid and then hatched them out where the cats and raccoons would get the babies without question. So she brought them to me. The hen will go back to the ranch after the chicks are a little bigger. My heat lamp for them isn't enough warmth for just the chicks alone so we are using Momma to help out.
I wanted a few chickens I now have nine!
I so excited!

I forgot

Lisa from My New Thing To Do (sorry, my linky thing doesn't work right now)
http://mynewthingtodo.blogspot.com/2009/ made me remember today in a comment that I hadn't posted my new losses.
I have hit the twenty plus point, so as soon as I can, I will be going out and getting at least some new pants. I have no clue what size I need, so it will be trial and error. How can I be excited about this? I hate shopping for clothes! I will be throwing away my old pants, they are thread bare anyway, and I do not want any thing around here that shouts "GO AHEAD AND SLACK OFF, THERE'S FAT PANTS HERE WAITING FOR YOU!"
I am not going back there!

And Yet, Another Project...

Let's hope I don't get bored with this one before it's complete. My intentions are always good, I just have a short attention span I guess. The other day I was finishing up a knitting loom scarf (Another craft I have taught myself and I love it! Cheater Knitting, It's so much easier than the real thing. Please don't jump down my throat if you do the Loom Knoitting, I mean nothing mean by it)
ANYWAY...
I made a scarf and I was going to try a different yarn on the loom, but soon found out that you can't use the cotton yarn for dishcloths on the loom, because it won't stretch. I had my crochet hook there with me and the cotton yarns that I hoped to do something with someday. I put the two together and came up with these squares. They turn out so pretty and stitch up in a jiffy. So far, I have made nine of them and when I have stitched up all the balls of yarn, I will sew them all together for a cover or bedspread or something to that effect.
It's been fun doing them and I am just stitching when I sit for a moment in between house chores.
Here's a pic of what I have done so far, and a pic of what is to become...

Thoughts about sidewalks

No one uses the sidewalks in this town anymore. This morning when I was coming back from dropping my MD off at the bus stop, I had to change lanes because there was a woman jogging with her dog in the middle of the lane I was driving in. WTF?!? I mean comon people, there's a perfectly good sidewalk going to waste here!

I'm ba-a-a-a-c-c-c-k

I bet you didn't even know I was gone!
My computer died Monday or Tuesday (don't know which, cause when the computer is dead, so is my brain)
I borrowed money against my next paycheck and OD and I went out and got this new one. It's faster than my last one and I think I spent less money on it! Go figure. The other one lasted five years, so I am figuring I got my money's worth!
I'm just happy to be back online!
My kids are calling me a blogaholic. The first thing I did when I hooked up the new puter was to come here and catch up with everything!
I have a few pictures to post of my days without the computer, but those will have to wait til I am all finished getting the new settings in place etc!
Good to see you all again!

My "Before" Picture

I don't think I have ever posted a picture of me. I decided I had better do one of my before pictures, so that I could look back and see the change in myself after I lose all my weight! So here goes.....

My Promise To Myself

I promised myself that when I got to 20 pounds off of me, I would buy myself some new clothes that fit. Right now, I am making due with my old stuff which is falling off my arse. Kind of fun, Ya know? Seriously, it is becoming a pain to walk, reach up, bend over, or move in any way, because I have to hike up my britches at almost every move.
I LOVE IT!!!
I'm not going to buy a belt or 'spenders cause well, that is not all that fashionable. At least the 'spenders aren't, and I am not much of a belt person.
So maybe, next week or the week after it is new britches for me! YAY!

Some Headway

What does that mean anyway? I mean, I know what it means, it just doesn't make sense. I think it may have to do with ships or sailing or something, but once I typed it in, I wondered. Never wondered about that before.
N. E. WAY
I finally got some of my shelves up! I love it! I don't love what happened to the left side of me afterward, but I do love the shelves. I got two up yesterday and two up this morning. I would have gotten them all up yesterday, but I needed my Dremel and seemed to have put it away, which means I couldn't find it. I did eventually. Then since I have a garage full of screws, nuts, bolts, and other various hardware pieces, it took me a while to find appropriate screws for the job.
Once I figured out the "formula" for where to place the shelf brackets, it was just a matter of making holes and filling them with screws. Yesterday was about a five hour affair, this morning it took me a half an hour! And a shorter amount of time to fill them buggers up!



I still have my little two foot shelves to put up on the corner of the longer shelves, but I think I will leave that til next weekend or whenever I get around to them. They go to the right of the long shelves at the same level. Then I will probably move everything around as I find more convenient spots for it all.
As for the left side of me. All the scooching around on the hardwood floor did my hip in. No sleep for me last night and I am hobbling a lot today. It'll work itself out eventually.

That's right...I rock!

Another 1.6 pounds gone! That's over a two week period though. (I only rock a little)
That is all!

Can you do me a favor?
There's a blogger, Suzanne McMinn, from Chickens in the Road, who needs our votes to get a paying gig, writing. All you have to do is go here and hit her link to vote. We can go once a day per IP address. She does deserve this.
While you are over at her blog, if you don't already know her, browse around, she is fun and talented, and makes some yummy good food!

Ramblin' (or you could call it Friday Fragments I guess)

I got a call at work from MD today. OD: "I'm signing up for food stamps. How much should I put down that I pay for rent?" Me: Nothing, cause that's what you pay!" OD: "I have to do something, I can't make it on $800 a month." Me: "Yeah, I know what you mean, the price of makeup and hair products has gone up. How will you ever survive?" I'm flabbergasted...she wants food stamps? I am speechless, sort of, cause I am never really speechless. I'm just saying that, because I don't want to say what's really going through my mind.

Work sucks gigantic donkey balls. The owners are changing everything. EVERYTHING! Fine, it's their store, they can do that. But they really need to communicate this with the employees. They can't just walk in and say..."We've changed that. We did that last week, why haven't you gotten it done yet?" What I say to that...in my head...Bite me. They gave a new kid a $3 an hour raise and the hours he asked for, because they moved him to receiving. The guy who was in receiving quit when he found out, because he had asked for those hours and didn't ask for a raise. They told him he couldn't just ask for specific hours. Why did the new guy get what he asked for then???

I came home to a rumor from my OD. About MD. Turns out MD was sitting here in my front room with two of her clowns from her "Parade of Clowns" watching TV. (middle of the day) Each of them was sucking on a 40 ouncer. We don't drink here. I don't care if people drink, we just don't drink here. Then MD and her (I hope not) boyfriend get up and go out to her room...her g/f was still sitting here messing with something. OD looks over and the little bitch is rolling a joint in MY FRONT ROOM! Spilled some of her precious whacky tabacky on my coffee table and floor. Then got up and left the mess and went out to MD's room. When MD came back in (sans friends), OD confronted her with the fact that we have dogs (that I LOVE) who could conceivably get the spillage and get sick. MD was "surprised" that her friend had done that. I think I am being tested. Guess who does not pass the test? Not me!!! I am pissed. I am calling the police department to find out what I can do to have her removed from my home. She has no respect for me, her sisters or the animals here. Her world is going to change. I don't think she will like it.
I didn't go to WW last Wednesday. I was exhausted when I got home from work. I just wanted to vege out. Everyday I have come home this week I am tired. It must be all the crap going on at work. (and home) I am still sticking with my WW eating guidelines. I will not take a step backwards here. I have come too far forward for that.
I love most of my customers. I tease them. The thing about most of them though, they tease back. I love that! I can dish it out and take it! They are the bright light in my life some days. I will hang on to that thought.
I need to find another job though. I see the ship I am on sinking slowly.
My dogs are the best thing I have going. I get kisses and happy jumping when I come home from work and they follow me into my room, so they can see how my day went. The only thing is that Max likes to hunt dust bunnies in the hallway at three in the morning. I'm going to have to take his hunting licence away!


Simple | Green | Frugal | Co-op
There is a great idea on the above mentioned and linked blog. She is doing a project called "The Fifty Things Project". Getting rid of stuff. Sounds do-able to me. I think I will try it on my next few weekends. Heaven knows I can use a good de-cluttering around here.

Well...

Happy Friday to all of y'all! I hope you get a good weekend. Mine will be spent at work as usual. But when you all are going back to work Monday morning, I will be pretending to sleep in. (Mainly pretending, because I don't do sleep in well, I am up at the crack of dawn 7 days a week)
About the new snack food I spoke of in the last post...don't get Chocolate Caramel 1 point bars from WeightWatchers. They aren't all that good. And the caramel lasts way too long for as lousy as it tastes. I haven't tried my new cookbook of recipes out yet. No time, and I have to wait until I get paid again, so I can some of the ingredients.
So my feets haven't been bothering me much at all. I was thinking on my way home tonight that I really don't mind going to work anymore, because I am not in pain all day. It is amazing what a difference it makes. Even some of the ding bats I work with aren't bothering me anymore! I've decided that pain is a real buzz kill!
This weekend I will get to start in on some exercise. That will help get more of this flubber off of me. I know soon I will have to start battening down my hatches if I am to continue losing. I will have to measure on the food scale and edit every bite I take. I will have to get used to using sugar substitutes as well. That I will not like, as my tea just won't be the same. If I want to keep getting more and more healthy I will just have to do it.
I hope all of you out there who are following the WW plan are having a good week with it. My thoughts are always with you all as I travel this path. I know I am in good company!
Take care!

Magic Tracker

At WeightWatchers there is a Tracker, so that we can keep track of the foods we eat. I talked about the tracker last week when I brought the "Magic Tracker" home with me. It is Magic! I kept track all week, of course I wasn't perfect, but I still lost! 3.2 pounds to be exact!
I also figured out a simpler way to get the foods that I eat listed without a great deal of hassle.
What I did was to keep the tracker with me as I prepared my breakfast and lunch and then just make a list somewhat like a grocery list. I write the points values down as I know them and if I don't know them, when I sit down to drink my coffee or eat my breakfast I look all the unknowns up and put them next to the foods. It worked for me.
This week I brought home a new cookbook and a new snack to try.
Let's see what this week does to all my flubber! I will be able to excersize in earnest probably next week. The feets are loving this!

I Fupped Duck...just a little

I was bad last week. I gained .2 pounds. I know it isn't much to gain, but you know it's those little gains week after week that catch up to ya eventually. .2 pounds per week = 10.4 pounds a year = that's over 50 pounds in five years. And that folks is how I got into the shape I am in. It really didn't sound like a lot in that first sentence...did it? I am (was) almost 100 pounds overweight. That was ten years of telling myself, "Oh, it's just a little weight, no biggy!"

An Epiphany!!!

I'm not getting on myself over this. I understand why I gained and that is a good thing. I just have to remember why and I will strive not to do it again. My reason for that smalllittleittybitty weight gain? I just wasn't into the program. Oh I ate the good foods, the ones that are recommended. Even the really good for you stuff. I just wanted more of everything, instead of being satisfied with healthy portions and drinking water or tea to fill me up the rest of the way. Then one night I just couldn't take it any more and went to Taco Bell. Oops! That would have been just fine except that I didn't account for it in my weekly points gathering. I. did. not. track. my. food. BUT. I went to my meeting even though I knew it wouldn't be great news.
We all get Tracker Booklets when we weigh in. Or we can buy a Three Month Tracker Book. Our leader bought one for the whole group. She calls it the Magic Tracker. It gets passed around week to week, member to member (totally voluntarily). It's a good thing to take for a week, because I can see how other members are eating and tracking and then at the meeting I can see how they have done. I took the book this week, because I know it will help me be more into my program and do better for myself. And it will make me practice tracking. It's like turning in homework. Someone else is going to see how I did!
So stay tuned. I am more determined now to keep at this until that ten years of smalllittleittybitties go away!

Whoops I did it again!

Another 2 pounds has left the building! Yep! That's right folks 11.2 pounds gone! GONE! Off me, into thin air...THIN AIR! Yes, it's gone. I'm looking like those kids who can't seem to find a pair of pants that will stay on their asses. You know the ones. They run from the cops, but don't get too far cause their pants fall off and around their ankles and trip them up.
I LOVE THIS!

Meet Max

This is Max. He is a two year old Lab/Heeler mix. He's a goofy dog. I met him at work. At work we call him Counter Dog. He would come into the store with his dad and make a bee-line for the service counter and put his front paws on the counter and demand his "cookie". We give cookies to all the dogs that come in...they all know this!
Max made some mistakes in the recent past which made his dad have to make a decision. Not a good decision either. He either had to have Max put to sleep or find him a home where he couldn't make these mistakes. He was nipping at small children, even the owner's small children.
Max is a sweetheart! Max is also a heeler. Which means anything he thinks he should herd, is to be nipped in the heels until it goes in the direction that Max wants it to go. Children don't understand this. A lot of adults don't understand this, so Max has been touted as a biter. And yes, he is. He bit at us when I brought him home. I understand most breeds and their reactions to situations, so I understand why he bites. He bit us because he was plunged into a situation that made him nervous and he had to protect himself. What I noticed though is that he never really bit down. He mouthed us, let us know that he wasn't comfortable. He didn't even leave a mark!
I am trying Max out in my house. I don't want to see him put to sleep. I've had heelers in the past and I understand their psyche, so I know what to do and how loud or softly to do it. So far he is fine.
Ahem, if you think that living on his dad's time schedule is fine. His dad's schedule is up at 4AM! Two mornings in a row...I get this feeling in my sleep that I am being watched. Then I hear growling. I open my eyes and there is Max telling me his alarm has gone off, and there is no snooze button! It's cute now, I don't know that it will be as cute in say, a week, or even tomorrow morning.
Of course there are always little quirks and things that dogs do in one home that are not great in another. He was never collared or leashed before. I will not let the dogs out the front door without both on, Max doesn't like the collar and leash. (Although I do have the collar on him and he is understanding that it is standard uniform here.)
We'll see. OD has just taken Max and Tootsie out for a walk. She has always been good at taking the dogs out for me. I can't walk a lot, so this works for both of us. It works out well for the dogs too. We'll see how it goes when she gets back.
At least I am thinking that if Max works out here, Tootsie won't be so depressed. She has been since Dante was put to sleep. Hopefully Max will kind of fit the bill!

Looky! Looky! -------->--------->

Another 3 pounds gone by the wayside! This has been a challenging week for me as far as getting all the food I need to eat. Simply because there were a few days that I looked at food as something I didn't want. I wanted my dog back instead.
Then there was the tempting foods. My YD bought everybody Taco Bell the day we had to put Dante to sleep, because she was getting him a bean burrito, and couldn't go to the house with Taco Bell without bringing some for her sisters. She told me she was doing that, and I guess it was a good thing at work cause Taco Bell would have made me feel real good right about then. I thought I would just stop on my way home from the vets. On my way home I decided I just wanted to be home, with my other dog.
The other two girls have since brought chips in a couple of different types and left their partially eaten bags right under my nose. Of course, I ate some, but since they weren't my bags, I only ate a few.
I also measured my hips, waist, etc. Lost two inches on my thighs, 1.5 inches on my arms, waist and hips. Nothing on the boobs. (oh well!) I embarrassed my OD by pulling my jeans off in the front room without unzipping them! According to her, I'm just weird! No, I am just proud that I could do that. Of course, I won't be showing anyone else that new trick!
So far, I haven't felt malnourished or anything. I don't have the feeling of being deprived either. I eat basically want I want, and just account for it. That's all.
I know in the future this won't be this simple, but for now I am learning what I need to have in the house, and what I don't want in the house. We are experimenting with different recipes from WeightWatchers, so that we can have some variety. It's fun most days!

R.I.P. Dante

I had to put my big guy down today. He stopped eating on Thursday. His health had been failing. The trip to Clearlake (where he came from)for the weekend was hard on him. But he did go in his water, not swimming though, he just stood there. That is when I knew that life was just not good anymore, he didn't even get excited about the ball being thrown for him to swim after.
I am going to miss him so much. He has been my solid rock for ten years. He has kept the bad guys at bay. He has been a constant loving companion.
We buried him in the backyard, next to his kitten that died a few years ago. His passing was easy and peaceful. For that I am grateful.
There's a big gaping hole in my heart, but filled with gratitude for the Vet and the Technician who made it so easy for us to do this.

Another one bites the dust.

Lost one more pound. YaY! Apparently, it came off my face, that's the comments I get about that.

Dude, I'm losing it!

Supposedly after I left work Sunday, rumors started around the store that me and the wonder co-worker were sent home because we couldn't get along. I just laughed at everyone when they came up to me today asking, "What happened?!?" Excuse me...I am 57years old, since when do women my age get sent home for behavior problems? Wait, don't answer that. It turns out that wonder co-worker got into it with the other "experienced" employee (a.k.a. over 50 years old) He literally told her to put a sock in it. She got all butt hurt and went crying to the manager. The manager told me today that wonder co-worker said that EVERYONE was being mean to her and she couldn't handle it anymore. I say there was probably a good sale on somewhere that she didn't want to miss. Or she had homework due Monday that she didn't get finished. It had nothing to do with us telling her about her mouth. Or it may have had everything to do with it. Who knows? I just know that she wasn't there today and it was peace and quiet and we all got a lot of happy work done. Together. As a team.
So the big news!!!
I went to my first weigh in after the first week. (Trumpets sounding..dun dun da da)
FIVE POUNDS LOST!!! 5.2 pounds to be exact. I'm so very happy. I will keep it up this week. I know I probably won't lose that much again, but every ounce off is that much closer to freedom for me. Freedom from the fat, freedom from the high blood pressure, freedom from foot pain hopefully. YAY!
I struggled to drink all my fluids, I forgot my vitamin five out of the seven days, I ate a Snickers Bar and some Pringles. But I did count them in, so it was all okay. The best thing I found out is that I tend to think I want to eat and I forced myself to wait to see if I was really hungry before shoving something in my mouth. I also would just get up and get a drink of water before I would eat. That killed two birds with one stone. I got my liquid and I quelled the "hunger" most times.
All in all I am quite happy this week!
What are you happy about this week?

There's nothing today.

Nothing much to write about. I left work early Sunday cause my foot hurt and I couldn't stay there with one of the bitches that thinks she knows more than anyone, and telling ME how to do something...ME! In front of customers, without being asked for help. (the computers were giving everyone problems. I just asked the manager for a step that I needed to do to make the damned thing move forward) N.E.WAY I figured that I was hurting, and she gave me more pain, so I went upstairs when I finally gave the customer the receipt he needed to leave the store, and told the manager that I was leaving and officially asking for someone to tell the co-worker to put a sock in it before I do. Cause when I do it's isn't going to be pretty. Not at all.
Yesterday OD and I went to San Mateo. To a K Mart. She wanted some wife beater type t"s that she could tie dye. Only K Mart had them. I bought towels, a few tubs for storage, and a new bra. Yippee!
Last night I cut out the material for a purse. I got the pattern from Anna Maria she's got some really cute patterns. She designs materials, and writes books as well as loving her six children and husband. You should go and take a look at her blog. She is just the sweetest person!
Today, I sewed up that purse...it not as much a purse as it is a ginormous bag to carry everything you will ever need in a day. I will post pictures of mine when I can take a picture of it...like when it's lighter out. The bag is called a MultiTasker.
Anyway, that's all I've got. For now. Actually I managed to ramble on quite a bit, didn't I?!?

This makes me happy/sad

New Details About Abducted GirlKidnapped at age 11, Jaycee Lee Dugard was kept in a shed for 18 years by a convicted sex offender.
Captor Fathered 2 Kids

Y'All Are Probably Going to Get Tired Of This

I just paid for Monthly Pass on over at Weight Watchers. I have to do something about this rather large pile of fat sitting at my computer morning, noon and night. It's getting in the way of my life and happiness.
I am going to my first (8,434,914th) meeting tonight. I will be there at 6:30 to get all the literature, weigh-in, and talk to my new leader. I have started and stopped meetings more than some of you have _____________ fill in the blank. (make it something you do quite often)
I had a little trouble getting all the eyes dotted and the tees crossed and during this (supposedly painless) process, I was thinking, "Oh, here I go again...I am trying to sabotage myself before I even get in the truck to go to the damned meeting!"
I have to lose the weight. It's getting hard to breath properly. My other foot is giving me fits, My knees, hips, yada, yada, yada. You have heard all the complaints from me.
I bought a nice little leather type journal the other day, just because I liked it. As I was signing up for the Monthly Pass, I started thinking I could use that little journal for keeping track of eveything weight-wise. It'll do well for notes from the meetings too. Instead of using their trackers, or journals, or whatevers.
With the Monthly Pass I have access to WeightWatchers Online as well, so I can look up everything I need to know. I can carry all the literature around with me so when I have a moment, I can look it over and memorize what I need to know.
I'll have more information after the meeting. For now I need to go and get something to eat before I go, because I know if I don't, afterward I will be starving. I know better than to let myself get to that. I will have sabotaged my first day before it was even a whole day! (Did that makes any sense at all???)

New Week, New Attitude

And it's not a good attitude.
After all that work I got accomplished last week, this week...NOTHING!
I got up late this morning, and there was no energy present. At all. I rarely sleep in past 6:30. 6:30 is the latest, otherwise I feel as though I wasted an entire day. I was up at the crack of 9:30 this morning. I hate that. HATE. IT! As the day has progressed, it's just gotten worse.
I had to forcibly drag myself from the house to go buy some much needed T-shirts for work. The ones I had were very holey and becoming pretty ris-kay. (I don't know how to spell that correctly) I also needed shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, shower gel, that kind of stuff which I always buy all at once at the Target closest to my house, it's less expensive there. I bought a few other goodies that I didn't have to have, but saw and wanted. I need new pants too, but those I will drag myself out to get tomorrow at Ross. I get the discount there on Tuesdays.
The back yard re-do sits as it was last Monday, there are still three cans and three bags of weeds in the back of my truck to be taken to the recyclers.
I. HAVE. NO. AMBITION. NONE.
I have come to the conclusion that if I work full time, that is it. I do nothing else. If I work part time, I may be able to have some semblance of a life...without money though.
I'm just sick of this.

Sunday Progress

Some more progress! Actually, as I look back over the previous progress pictures I can't believe how much we got done! We're talking one crippled up old lady and one kid at a time. We all have such different hours that getting all of us at once would not happen.
Monday, MD and I hauled off three garbage cans and three bags of weeds. It didn't take any time at all to get rid of it. Since the recycle yard takes it for free. From the looks of that place, everyone in town was pulling weeds! We did take three more of the cans and bags to the recycler, but we got there just as they were locking up the gates.
The piles of gravel that are left on the patio have to wait until I get the yard in back cleared out. That is where the gravel came from. It ws moved there by OD's boyfriend for some unknown reason years ago. I think I will by some weed block cloth and put that down after we pull all those weeds and before I put the gravel back.
Today, was going to be some light clean up. There is a huge cabinet in that part of the yard that MD threw out of her room. We started in on that yesterday, but didn't get too far into it. I am going to put that wood to use, by making MD a set of stair covers for her door. The wood that is on the stairs now keeps chipping away and they are getting kind of dangerous. I guess I will have to try to do that after work this week.
OD and I are on a mission today that we hadn't planned on. My Dad has to have surgery on a hernia. My sisters both have to work and since I am off we all decided that I would take him. He had told everyone that he and his girlfriend could manage. But after some thought and talking behind their backs, couldn't let them do that. She shouldn't be driving and he isn't going to be in any shape to drive. We feel lucky that he even shared any of the information about the surgery at all. Usually he tells us afterwards!
So all in all, I am extrememly pleased with what I got done this four day weekend. I only wish that I had more time every week to devote to taking care of the property. Since my feet are feeling better I may be able to do little bits after work on some days. I'm going to take it one day at a time, cause I never know what my body is going to allow me to do. I'm not even all that sore right now!

Saturday Night, 9 O'Clock

Can't see much in the top right picture, because I took it as an after thought after YD came and did her thing. You can kind of see that there isn't as much weedy stuff going on.
YD just left with her "new" boyfriend. They came by after she got off work and pitched in a little...no, a lot on the backyard project. She got out her machete and whacked away on the thistles and rose stems along the fence. I hadn't even thought about getting to that side yet. Now all I have to do over there is rake and pull the smaller stuff.
I got quite a bit done today. All along the wall of the house is basically cleaned up. There's just a few more little weeds under a Camelia bush that is huge in gerth. It's a little hard for me to get under there, but tomorrow I will tackle that first thing, before I start feeling sore. I managed to fill up two garbage cans and one big constuction trash bag. (Donated by the boyfriend) Then there is a half of a smaller yard garbage sized bag, that wasn't tough enough at all.
I got my two surviving tomato bushes caged up with some welded fencing that I had gotten from work. I have to staple that down so the plants don't grow and knock them over. Hopefully I will get a tomato that I can actually eat from the plants now. Up 'til now, the tomatoes have just been homegrown balls for the little dog to play with, or at least that is what she thought!

The Agenda

Today when I get home, I am doing some things that I would normally do over the course of my regular weekend. That involves the deeper cleaning of the front room and kitchen. I will probably throw in my laundry since that pretty much does itself anyway.
I bought two pairs of gloves yesterday. I have gloves here...somewhere...um, has anybody seen them lately? Thay are probably out under some bushes in the backyard. Which means bugs live in them now. Two pairs, just in case someone wants to help out. (MD? Do You hear me?) I also have all my tools at the ready.
I'm putting the speakers from my stereo out the bedroom window, so I can rock on while cleaning up and I am making a gigantic jar of iced tea so I have some refreshments ready when I need them.
I am hoping that a little fog is in the forecast for the weekend. That would make it so much easier to stay out there and dig in. I'm ready, I'm even a little excited. I may see my patio by Monday!!!

Please, will y'all hold me accountable?

I am thinking that if I tell you guys that I am going to do something and show you before pictures maybe I will do some. thing.
I have the 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th off this week. YAY! for me!
I do not want to waste all that wonderful time off. So I am thinking that I will get out in the yard and work. I should be able to get at least a little done, after all, I am only going to be at work three days, my feet should be able to hold up another two to three days, Tuesday I will rest. Probably with my feet in a vat of ice.
Now, when I show you the pictures, don't judge. I have not been physically able to do much in the way of yard work, so the yard looks more like a jungle. I am hoping that I can get the patio portion of the yard cleared. I have three empty garbage cans to put green waste in, that the scavenger company will pick up for free on Monday. I KNOW I can fill those up in a small amount of time. I can also take green garbage to the recyclers for free. Plus, they will take wood and furniture free as well. This should only cost me a couple of gallons of gas.







Looks like I need another Magical Mexican!
Wish me luck!
Get on my Ass if I don't do it.
Don't back down...I am sick and tired of finding reasons and excuses why I cannot take care of this yard!
Oh yeah. That's not my kayak, that is one my daughter is trying out. Um yeah...trying out.

About the craft room

I was looking through some old posts and came across the first one I posted about painting the room. Ya know...I still haven't finished it. I got one and a half walls painted, which is the norm for me. I rarely ever do anything straight down to the finish line. I think it is because my dad told me once in my formative years that I never finish anything, either that or he was just right. I always start out planning to finish, but I get so excited to use whatever it is that I am working on that I just start using it and it doesn't get finished. Or I find something else that I want to do and can't wait to get started. So I start and the first project goes by the wayside. And this is why my house looks like it does. An old joke in my family is that everything is permanently temporary.
So yeah. The craft room. I couldn't wait to use it. So I started moving furniture in and placing bookshelves and tables and dressers where I wanted them. Then I just found my chair so I could sit and do my hand work, that got brought in, with it's cute not so small ottoman. Now the room has this little path from the door to the TV, that branches off to the sewing table. I can either head right to the TV or left to the sewing table. I actually go left and then grab the remotes and turn on the TV.
The room is so packed with stuff that it seems like it would be impossible to get anything done in there. On the other hand it is really, really cozy and homey feeling. It's like being in a cocoon. Safe and comfy. The room? It's great to go off and close myself up in. If the girls are being verbal and loud at each other, I wander off in there, close the curtain (there's no door) and grab a book or some stitching and just be in peace (relative peace, I can still hear muffled arguements going on).
I just need to get in there and finish some projects! New habits are hard to form, but since I love being in there, it shouldn't be too hard to start.
Hope your week is a great one!

Yada, yada, yada

I'm just checking in.
Hi!
I have tried to write two posts but they didn't set well with me when I got part of the way through them.
So they got deleted.
The two girls of mine who still live here are both out tonight.
It's quiet in the house. But not in the hood. Someone just set off a M-80...or bigger. I don't know, it was just loud. And now my big dog is pacing and slobbering.
Why do they feel the need to do that? I think they need attention.
My YD is getting ansy. Her goal in life is to have her own training center. She and I had planned to get some property and start one. But the economy got in the way and she had a little set back last year. That set us back three years. She and a friend were talking the other day. (that can get dangerous) YD called me and asked me to ask a friend of mine what he is doing with his property. She wants to lease it and start her training center. My friend is a very private person...I think he will not go for that, but I told her I would ask, so I will. (Me thinks he will say no thank you)
Work sucks.
While I was off Sunday one of the girls started one of those post office games...or is it telephone? Anyway, she said something to someone else (about a co-worker)and it went around the store. (Like I don't get enough drama at home, I have to work around it too) By the time it got through everyone who was there, it did some major damage. And caused some major drama that got quite loud. I'm so pleased I missed the whole damned thing. Of course, I had to hear it from two different people today when I got back. Yay! I am so happy they think they need to keep me up to date. The idiot who started the whole thing knew full well, that when I got wind of it I would take her out to the back and tell her to keep her trap shut. I didn't; but only because when she came to work she got into her little corner of the world and avoided me all day long. Yes! Silence is golden! I'm not a boss or a manager or anything. The manager doesn't like to get into stuff like this (until it affects the workings of the store or the customers) So to avoid letting it get to that point and since I could care less if some of them at work like me or not, I tell the young ones when enough is enough. In so many words, with an attitude. I just don't like working with pissy little girls. (some of the guys are pretty bad at times too) Tomorrow, a friend of mine will be back at work after her weekend and since she was involved in all this, and she is OLDER...I am going to have a talk with her. What she does and says there can directly affect me, because I recommended her for the job. Tomorrow, I tell her to just do her job and leave the crap at the door. Better yet, leave it at home, in the closet, in a little box in the back that has a lock on it...lose the key. She is just too old to be joining in on these shenanigans.
Do I sound like a bitch? Yeah, probably. I don't like work that much anyway, I certainly don't like going in to stuff like this.
Okay, I have stepped off my soap box.
DAMN! Speaking of soap. I want to make my own. I have been gathering the ingredients. I went to Safeway tonight on my way home and forgot to check if they have the last ingredient I need. Ah well...tomorrow's another day.
I'm going to go read a while before I go to sleep. I finished my friend's book. He said the next one is coming out in a few months. I can't wait. I forget what he said it is titled. The one I just finished is called "Bootlegger's Cove" It is a true to life work of fiction. It was good. I liked it because I used to fish commercially about the same time he was fishing and the book is partially about that. I could relate to some of it.
Now I am reading "House Rules". I'll be done with it in about a week. Another book I can't set down.
Okay, I have rambled on enough. See you all later! Have a good one!

My YD's Birthday today!

"The Binks" is 22 today! Happy Birthday Sweetie!
Twenty two years of laughter, tears, frustration, fear, triumph, and lots of love!
What can I say about my baby except that it has all been wonderful and I am looking forward to what life has to offer her and what she does with it. I am proud of her and what she has done so far...even the hard to love parts!

July 26

I just happened to be looking at my side bar over there---> and noticed that I started this blog back in 2006. I had wondered sometimes just how long I had been doing this but never looked. I went so far as to scroll down to find out what day I started...July 26! That's coming up soon! YAY! me, I'll be three soon! And my, how things have changed. I was in between jobs back then. I didn't yet have the job I have now. That was to happen a little over a month later.
So much has changed. I have met new people, reconnected with some from my past, and disconnected with some. My girls have grown. They've made me mad, made me smile, but always made me love them.
There have been babies born, christened, started walking and eating big people food. My extended family has grown by two. My closest friends have become grandparents. I even became a grandma...surprising!
I got rid of an old dilapidated car and bought my little truck. I have repaired it a few times. I have owned three washing machines and two dryers, and repaired those countless times (yes, in three years!)
I have gone on long weekends to my dad's cabin, lost sleep in an uncomfortable bed and gotten a little sun burned because I forgot how long I was in the sun.
I have lost a few pounds, but always gained them back and they brought some friends when they returned. My hair has grown long and turned gray.
I've gone kayaking, but not as much as I would have liked. And I vow to go more...as soon as the racks get on my truck.
I have connected with a world outside my own. I have made friends here in the blogosphere. I have learned so much from the people who care to share their lives with me in these posts. My heart has been broken for others' losses and I have also rejoiced in their happiness. I have seen many places that otherwise I would not have seen. I have learned to share in a different sort of way. I have sent out prayers for hope and strength and healing, I have received prayers as well.
Yep, three years. It's not long in the scheme of things, but when you look back at all that has gone by, it seems to have had a lifetime of happenings. I know there is so much more to come. I am looking to the future with hope and optimism. I want to think that everything will be alright.
So here is to the next three years and the three after that and the three after those. It's been a thrill to meet you all, and I hope we can have continued good friendships over the innernets...

Plumbing 102...or...202, I don't know!

In our last class session we learned how to not turn off water at the source. We also learned how to get a man to drive probably ten minutes from where he was working to turn a knob we could have turned ourselves had we not been told that breaking said knob would make us responsible. (Who the heck WANTS to be responsible???)
In Plumbing 102 or 202 we will learn some new vocabulary words. Most of these words should not be used in public. Hell, I even made my own face turn red a coupla times, when I said these words!
I think I left off at letting the bolts that hold the toilet down soaking...it didn't work. I said a few of those words. Got out my trusty little Dremel tool. (Ladies, this is a tool you all need to have in your household. It will do everything but wash the dishes!) I cut off the damned bolts. My MD and I set the tank on a towel on the toilet bowl and proceeded to be amazed at how much crud accumulates where you can't reach. We sprayed that bugger all over with bleach and water. Then we sprayed it again for good measure.
I looked to see what it would take to get the actual drain thingy out of the hole in the tank to put the new one in. I looked high and low for just the right tool and found I was fresh out of dynomite. (dynamite? well, okay, TNT) Picked up the trusty Dremel. I cut that thing off..with a vengeance, and a few little cut off blades. They break easily.
Got that out, MD proceeded to scrub the crud off. Made it sparkle, like a new toilet. Okay, a fairly new toilet.
The we had to reverse all our previous actions. This was the easy part. Clean tank, new parts,everything was where it was supposed to be at the time it was supposed to be there. It went together like a two year olds' five piece puzzle. NICE!
Turned the water back on, no leaks. Adjusted the little chain thingy, tightened the handle just a little.
And...
And...
Flushed it...


It acted just like a toilet would act. Water went down the bowl, tank filled up handle positioned itself, BY. ITSELF. No noise...no freakin' noise!!! YES!
I'm starting my own business. Claudia's No Cracks Plumbing. Think about it! (snicker, snicker)
Bad words were omitted, cause even though I say them IRL, I find it hard to type them unless I am rully rully pissed.
BTW.. I slept ALL night, no toilet serenade to keep my eyes open!

Plumbing 101

I'd show you pictures, but it's a little gross...not real gross, but ya know when you can't get to something to clean, but the dirt and grime can get there to mess up? It's that kind of gross.
Anyway...
I got up this morning all fired up and rarin' to go. Got my coffee, sat at the computer and then started dreading tearing apart the toilet. I mean really, I have to tear the toilet apart! The tank thing on top has to come off in order to fix the flush valve, which is what has been keeping me awake nights. Weeeee ch, ch, ch, ch Weeeeeee
I finally relented and got dressed. Then swore a little cause I really, really did not want to go out and shut off the water to the house. I don't know why that bugs me, but I hate having to shut the water off. And then I couldn't shut it off. The valve at the house doesn't work anymore. So I went out to the meter to shut it off and the shut off valve is covered in about six inches of dirt! (How do they read the meter then?) I called the water company to ask them just that and she told me I wasn't supposed to shut the water off at the meter by myself, because if I damaged it, I would be responsible. How a simple thing like that would make me responsible after all these years I will never know. Oh and then she told me they have some magic wand thing that reads the meter. No more pulling off the cover and actrually looking at the numbers. (I'm surprised it doesn't just go on their computers and then lick the envelope to send the bill in the mail for them)
She sent a man over to shut the water off at the meter and I got the usual lecture about doing it myself. I told him to marry me and then I would be able to afford to hire a real plumber to come and do this all for me. I'm capable even if I am JUST a woman! Excuse me, but I have the tool to shut the water off, and all the man did was get out his tool that looked just like mine and turned the little knob thingy just like I would have done. Hmmm. Wow, I can't believe that people have to go to college or trade school to learn that stuff.
So, water off, toilet tank drained. I start to pull of the angle stop to replace. It is the reason I couldn't just shut the water off at the toilet, it's old. When I took it off, I panicked because the pipe it is attached to is looking like it came from Roman times. Old, rusty and in need of replacement which would require a real plumber, and apparently I am allergic to real plumbers.
I said a little prayer, bit the bullet and ran down to my local hardware store, where I used to work several years ago and where I haven't stepped foot since the ass laid me off. But I had to go there, because even though the water was shut off there was still a tickle coming in and I had no time to waste.
Got the new angle stop and a new supply line and asked the owner who is also known as the ass, if there is a possibilty of fixing the now rusted out 1/2" galvanized pipe coming out of my wall if there is a tiny bit of thread left on it. He assured me it could be salvaged if I just bought a $15 tool. "Sell it to me!" Shit, I'm bleeding money here!
Came home, put on my contortionist costume and proceeded to finish what I started. The angle stop did go on as promised! YAY! I now have a shut off to my toilet once again...Did I say YAY! yet? I unscrewed the first set of nuts that hold the toilet tank on to the bowl, and got the tank off. Herein lies the mess. Things were disintrigating back there. Nothing that can't be replaced...which is why I am doing this. The disintrgation is what has been causing the toilet to sing.
Now I am at a spot where I needed a little help from my favorite can of WD40. The second set of nuts don't want to come off easily, so I am soaking them for a while.
Be prepared for Plumbing 102 in the near future. Take notes, there will be a quiz later.

Why???

Why is it that everything I own, that has anything to do with water, is leaking right now??? Why???
I had the washing machine experience over my weekend, now the toilet. The shower is always giving me fits.
Last night the toilet decided to sing to me sweet love songs of the toilet type. Except I am not a toilet, so I don't really appreciate the songs. Weeee Ch, Ch, Ch, Ch...weeeeeee, Ch, Ch, Ch, Ch...that was 12:30. I got up and fixed it. 2:30 AM Weeeeeeeeeeee, Ch, Ch, weeeeeeeeeee, Ch, Ch, Ch, weeeeeeee, got up, fixed it. Finally went back to sleep at 3AM.
Alarm went off at 5AM, I hit the snoozer til around 5:40, and then got up figuring I had better get a move on if I was going to be to work on time.
I had to be there at 8.
Got ready, looked at the clock and freaked out, I was sure I was going to be late. Got going, drove fast (but safely) to work. I pulled up next to the store and thought to myself, "Why the hell is the store closed???" I looked at the clock in my truck...it was 6:45, not 7:45. I was an hour early.
I told my co-worker I was not going to wait an hour to clock in so that I would have to work an hour later. He clocked me in at 7. I left at 3:30.
I was going to fix the toilet when I got home, but now the damned water to the toilet won't shut off. Hopefully, I can keep that devil quiet until Monday when I can just shut the water off to the entire house and replace the angle stop, water suppply line, and the flush valve.
Then again, I may install an outhouse!

I'm all about the drama.

Just a few things...little notes.
Because I am all about the drama I wait until the last possible minute to do N.E.THING! I just want any one who hasn't already, go over to Hallie's blog at Wonderful World of Weiners and donate to her fund raiser for Organ Donation. You can read all about the story behind the fund raiser there. (Take tissues with you, it is a very heart warming and tugging at the heart story.) Also, be prepared to get addicted to her blog, she is all about the funny, informative and just plain fun reads!

The next note...my foot. I have been asked by a few as to how I am doing, what the doc said about my foot and what I am doing.
I'm doing as well as can be expected. Some days are good, others not so much. BUT...the foot does feel a bit better than it has in the past few months. The doctor told me that what I have is a tight achilles MUSCLE. The tendon is fine, but the muscle that is over the tendon is pulled so tight that it is making my foot curl under itself so to speak. If you look at your right foot, while you are sitting with your foot flat on the floor, picture the muscle from the back of your calf going down and under the heel then towards the arch of your foot. Now picture that muscle pulling up and you get a foot that is turning under towards the inside. (Confused enough?) Since our feet want to be flat on the floor, and not turning under it makes for pain when you are standing on them all day. Which is what I do.
She gave me excercises to do and I take a anti-inflammatory medication once a day. Then I am supposed to get a pair of really, really good shoes and an ankle brace. Right now, since I have missed work (without pay) I can't afford the shoes and ankle brace. But I can afford the excercises. The meds are covered, so I am taking those. Plus I can never, never go barefoot again or wear any of those cute little flip flops I like to wear occasionally or my slippers. But I cheat on those every night, I just don't walk around in them like I used to. Oh yea, and I can't walk for excercise. I need to swim. Which means I need to get a swimsuit....um, yea...

The x-rays of my foot showed a hammer toe, bunnion, (I don't know if those are the same or not) mild athritis and degeneration of some of the bone in my big toe. Apparently those don't hurt me. Go figure!
I am trying to get back on Weight Watchers, because I know if I get some (or all) of my excess weight off, that will help immensely. The thing with that is, I am so damned stuck in my ways and I can't get it through my thick skull, that I would feel better, and it should be an easy thing to do. I mean hell, in my twenties I would get a burr up my ass about my weight and fast for a week and not blink an eye!
Anyway, that's about it. Thank you for commenting and asking. It is nice to know that we have built up a community of friendship across the blogophere. See you on the internets!

The Foot From Hell

I still am not convinced that anything from the ankle down will ever feel good again.
I am fresh back from the Podiatrist. She was great and all, and actually spent some non-rushed time with me, but I have heard so many things from so many doctors that I don't know who to believe anymore. You'd think that because this doctor is a PODIATRIST I'd want to believe her the most. But for some reason I am skeptical.
I didn't think at all that I would get out of this with my pocket book unscathed, but I have spent far more on this foot than any other body part so far. Nothing has helped. Now, the podiatrist is telling me I need to buy more, and more costly things for this one foot.
Now I need to go out and buy shoes that are over $120 and some ankle brace that is $30. There are still excercises I need to do. She said swim, for other excercise, no walking for that. (Um, they JUST closed the local pool down for renovations, I know, my daughter worked there.) She wants me to drive 15 miles away to go to the next pool. Um. NO!
I am reluctant to spend the money on all this other stuff, because I have spent enough money already that hasn't done anything but make my pain last longer. The appointment alone cost me $50. She sent me home with a nice list of where to get the shoes and wonderful (insert sarcasm here) pictures of the excercises. Those I will do, they are free. I guess I HAVE to buy the shoes and the brace, cause I can't go back to her when it all doesn't work and give her that look, if I don't at least waste my money.
Have I ever said before that I HATE Kaiser-Permanente? If I haven't, let me say that here and now. I HATE Kaiser-Permanente!

And the decision was...

Clearlake! Yes I went. My OD drove so I got to watch anything I wanted, leaving watching the idiots on the roads to her.
It was hot, it was fun, noisy, hot, and sis I mention that it was hot there?
We got there late Friday night, and of course did not get to sleep til much later. I slept on a folded up futon. (The arthritic hip is PISSED) Got up way too early, the sun peaked in the window directly at my eyes at 6AM.
We went and played with the dogs in the water. (I didn't get in the water) But the dogs had a blast chasing their after their balls, tennis balls that is.
Went to bed far too late Saturday night and up again early this morning. We unfolded the futon this time (hips not as angry this morning)
We left there early to beat the worst heat driving and got home around 2:30 this afternoon. I took a much needed nap on my couch and then got up and took a much needed shower.
I am refreshed, mind and body. (Although, still tired and a little sore)
Tomorrow is my podiatrist appointment. Let's hope this doc has some fantastic fix, cure, whatever, to make my feet happy feet again!

Why Can't I Make A Damned Decision???

So...the 4th of July is here! YAY!
I had plans to go to "My Lake". I had to take last Sunday off. I was planning to take Saturday and Sunday off this weekend, and spend four days at the lake. After going to the doctor a few weeks back, I ended up with an appointment with the podiatrist (finally) and the only appointment available was Monday, of course. So four days at the lake was out. I decided that since I really couldn't afford three unpaid days off in the same pay period, I would work Saturday, have Sunday off go to the doctor Monday and use Tuesday as my usual deep cleaning day around the house. No lake. :(
Then my OD started trying to talk me into going some where for a day trip. She's off all next week and staying home isn't her thing. We discussed, I vetoed, we discussed more. I said no, I can't afford this. But I DO want to see my lake again, feel the heat, listen to my Dad's girlfriend's roudy family be, well, loud, laugh, relax and just sit.
Now, I'm thinking that it is only one pay period that I would be a little more broke than usual. I've had less money than that at other times, because of illnesses, I cannot pass up a 4th of July at the lake again. (Although I had to last year) And I could bring my Dad a watermelon! Just kidding, he doesn't care for watermelon.
I could conceivably go up Friday night, spend Saturday and most of Sunday, come home go to my DR appointment and do the usual on Tuesday. Or work Saturday go up after work, getting there at around dinner time...(he he) spend most of Sunday, etc., etc. I don't know. We'll see how I feel Friday after work. or today after work, cause no matter what we have to pack up the truck.
Any thoughts?

Speaking of YD

Things are starting to look up once again for YD.
Last year about this time she had fallen in a bucket of shit (figuratively speaking) and wasn't coming out smelling like a rose.
This year she is turning everything around for herself.
A few weeks ago, she and one of her friends went over to "Pick ur Parts" and got a "new to her" transmission for her old classic truck that she bought a couple of years back (It has been sitting in my driveway for a long while, since the tranny died) They labored under the truck for two days getting the new transmission in place. After a couple of days one of the mounts slipped. It didn't cause any damage, so they are replacing that today or tomorrow. At least this time the truck is in her driveway and not mine.
About three weeks back, I had a customer come in the store and as per the way I do business, started chatting it up with the customer. She was buying various things that I recognized as being part of barns and fencing for large animals. Of course I asked her what she was doing with them. She told me she had seven horses and ten big dogs and that one or more of those critters had broken through their fencing and it all needed to be repaired.
I asked her further about her horses. She told me she wasn't really the horsey type, but she owned seven in various ages all of which needed training, because she didn't know how and she didn't have the time. Of course I mentioned that this is what my daughter does for a living. She immediately gave me her number and told me to have my daughter call her.
YD called her that night, but the woman had to be in court and couldn't meet her the next day, and took YD's number. But YD never heard from her. So on a whim yesterday, YD called her back. The woman was so happy! She had forgetten to save YD's number in her phone and had lost it. And then asked if YD could come right then. She went.
The husband was at the gate to their property when YD pulled up. He asked her what she was there for and YD said, "Well, I'm not really sure, but to talk to someone about the horses." He asked her if she was a handler and YD told him..."of sorts". He told her she was hired!
They went on a tour of the property, met all the horses and dogs. Discussed the horses diet and experiences so far. The woman met them at the barn. Talked to YD about her past experiences with animals and asked how much she wanted to be paid. YD has always been told what she would be paid, and told them that. So they said how about 20 hours a week at $XX/hour? YD said she got really light headed and almost fainted. Then they asked if that was enough. O.M.G.!!! They also asked YD to make a list of everything she would need to train their horses and she would have it all in a few days.
She has a three month old, a six month old a yearling, two stallions, two brood mares and one eight year old mare to work with. One of the stallions is two and barely green broke. She told me she was starting with him. (Apparently the owner has a little trouble with him)
YD called me last night to say thank you for hooking her up with this woman. I'm just so happy to do that. I know that YD is a great trainer and with the right people and references she can make a fantastic living at what she loves to do.
It all has to do with an old mare I bought 18 years ago to keep my kids away from the front of the TV. That mare trained YD in the ways of horses.

Why I love my YD

*Now with an update*

Ring, ring. Ring, ring. (that's my phone, ringing)
Me: Hello?
YD: Hi Mom! Whatcha doing?
Me: Hi Binks! I'm hobbling. How are you?
YD: Hobbling?
Me: Yea, my feet, can't walk after work.
YD: I'm sorry, that's not good! Well,I'm good. Mom?
Me: Yes.
YD: I have a great idea! Ya wanna hear my great idea?
Me: (Hesitantly) Yeasss...
YD: You know how I'm moving to a house in July? On July 5th?
Me: Yeasss...
YD: Well, I was thinking,
Me: That's always good!
YD: Well, what I was thinking is that since my room here at the ranch smells just like a shit hole, (she lives right next to the sewer clean out that always needs to be cleaned out)that it would be a good idea for me to come and sleep on your couch until the 5th of July! How do you like that idea??? Isn't it a great idea Momm...You know I love you and well, it sure would be great to spend more time with you and I'll clean out the kennel and the dogs can sleep out there and there won't be lakes and islands on the frontroom floor form Fatty (Trixie), cause she'll be outside, and you know.

Me: Okay. Fatty isn't going to chew up any more furniture is she?
YD: No.
Me: Okay, when are you coming?
YD: Tonight. Thanks Mom, I love you! MUAH!

YD came back...for a whole day!
She brought her clothes and when her new landlady heard that she was staying here until the 5th, told her to just move in there and wouldn't charge her for the extra days. It isn't like she was going to make anything from the space in the meantime anyway. So, one of YD's friends helped her load up her belongings at the ranch and she is all moved in now. She just has to unpack. I know she is going to love it there. The landlady is only four years older than YD. Her friend that helped her move in has been helping take care of her for YEARS. He has known her since she was 8 or 9 and is almost like a dad to her. He lives at the house too. The house is a big one and is in horse country about five miles from here. She'll be happy there.

More experience with Magical Mexicans

It seems that every time I ask my YD for a hand with something she shows up with one of her co-workers or another person she works on the side with in training horses. Today I called her for an idea of who might be able to change the starter in my truck. It broke yesterday. It's been breaking for a long time. I just didn't know it.
For the last two or three weeks, every once in a while, like if I drive to Comcast (a ten or so mile drive) The truck wouldn't start. But if we jumped the battery, it would go. Yesterday, MD and I went to Serramonte (a mall about 12 - 13 miles away. I knew I'd be taking a chance turning it off, so I sat in the car while MD paid her phone bill. Then we went to Joann's. I figured that the truck would be okay to shut off. (Heaven only knows why I thought it would be okay then) So, in we went and an hour later, out we came. To a truck that would not start. My neice, who I just happened to buy the truck from was there also and had parked next to us, so we just waited til she was done with her shopping and got a jump from her.
We came home and stopped at the grocery store to pick up some food. I called OD and told her to stand by, cause we may need a jump. We did. She came down and we jumped the battery and drove home.
I figured that in the morning, the starter would be cool and I would be able to start the truck, but that was not going to happen. I called the local parts store, got a price on a rebuilt starter, and told them I'd pick it up when I could find a ride. That's when I called YD. She said she'd be up after work and I could talk her though the procedure, since I (ahem) know how to do that kind of stuff. She brought her friend whose horses she is training. She made him get under the car, she and I handed him tools, and held the light. It took about three hours, but my truck started again!!!! YAY!
This is where I found out that the starter had been breaking for a while. I didn't realize it, but when I started the truck with the new starter it sounded so much better. Apparently the old one didn't sound right and I didn't know it. Some mechanic I turned out to be.
At least we have found another Magical Mexican in our midst. Now I have one that does emergency roof patches and one that does mechanical stuff.
But now I have to go to work tomorrow, I was kind of hoping I could use the truck as an excuse.

New Trix

Every Thursday, I "babysit" my furbaby grandson. So I expected to see Dozer when I came home from work. It's always a happy occassion, cause I love Dozer. Today I had a surprize when I got home. YD had gone all the way to Gilroy (about an hour and a half away from us) to pick up Trixie. She will not be Trixie long if YD has anything to say about it. She doesn't like the name, but she loves the dog! I'm pretty taken by her myself. She is six months old, very well behaved. She's a little leary of the cats, doesn't chase them though. She just gives them wide berth. (Funny to watch) She is not all that quiet, but not a pesty barker yet. Of course, we are all new to her and I'm sure she was told to be on her best behavior, so for now she is minding.
Right now she is doing what dogs do best...laying on her side sound asleep.
I'm thinking it is a good thing that YD has her own place and it is on the ranch. There is just not room for four dogs here. I don't even know how we managed with three! (and I am looking for a new German Shepherd...oh my!)

Cause the gov'ment says so

I have been so sick of hearing this government mandated switch over to digital or else you don't get to watch TV thing. What has it been? A year? Two? That they have been touting this BS over all the TV channels and radio stations.
Perhaps I am a bit paranoid, but it seems to me, at first it was just a ploy to make every one pay for all entertainment. Right now, my TV and computer are the only things that really entertain me. We've paid for cable for as long as I can remember...well, wait, in the early 60's we didn't pay. So they told everybody and their brothers that if you don't have cable already, you need to purchase this stupid little box to convert some damned signal going into your TV so it is digital and you can watch TV. I think it is a great way for them to start watching us.
They put it off and put it off, and now they are saying okay, we are serious this time, June 12th (or 19th or whatever date they have set) is it, you must be prepared to switch to digital...or else...and then afterward every once in a while you must scan something to add new channels, and then you get to watch more...
I figured we were out of the loop here at my house, because we have been paying for cable forever and they kept saying if you have cable you are ready...Even showing people in T-shirts saying I AM READY. (No I never wanted one of those T-shirts either) I got a letter from Comcast the other day (Comcast is our entertainment director/cable company) I normally don't open much in the mail from them, cause it's usually some threatening letter saying pay up or else you don't get to watch TV. By chance I opened this one. It said. You need to get some digital adapters for EACH TV in your house or else you only get to watch channels 2 - 32. Yeah. Like any of those channels are worth watching. Yuck...local crap, paid advertising hour long shows, Chinese TV, Mexican TV (three channels of it) One blue screen channel. (just in case you are fond of the color blue and want to watch it all day and night) I do have the 4AM local news on every morning so I can laugh at all the people who commute two hours to work and back when the traffic on the 880 is at a stand still...they actually call it the parking lot! Of course I need to see just how much fog is in my near future so I know whether to wear my light jacket or not as light jacket. I could jut look out the door and know first hand, but where's the fun in that?
So...in order to get the channels I actually watch: TRU TV, Court TV, HGTV, the channel with all the families with all the kids and the one about how to dress yourself on it, I have to have a digital adapter. To the tune of $1.98 per box...and that's per TV! We own five TV's!!! Oh but it is okay, the first two are free. MD decided that she wanted a regular cable box, so when I go through all the free premium channels, she can watch movies out in her little room. She's paying the extra $7 for that.
Alrighty then. I called and ordered everything we needed. They sent it post haste. I think we ordered on Wednesday, the boxes were here today! I have NEVER in my life seen such a quick turnaround! (See the government wants in our frontrooms something bad.) Only...they sent four cable boxes! Not three adapters and one cable box! Geez! So I made a few phone calls and when I didn't get the answers I wanted started asking for supervisors and managers. They checked around found that our local Comcast office had what we needed and sent us up there to trade. We didn't know they had sent four cable boxes. We thought they had sent four adapters (instead of the three and one cablebox) We went up with one and there was a huge line out the door. People waiting to trade boxes, pick up new boxes, pay bills, bitch and complain and all manner of whatevers they do at the cable office. CA-RAP! MD stood in line until it got close to our turn and then I went in to sign papers answer questions, etc. That is when we found out that our entire order was wrong. The guy laughed and said he had never seen such a screw up. He let us come home with the adapters and a promise to return the other two cable boxes on Monday morning.
Went out to my truck and the freaking battery was dead as a door nail. I am thinking I will need a new battery here. Everything else is working fine...I hope. Anyway. a really nice gentleman by the name of Guerrmo came over to us and asked if we needed help in his broken English. I said yes please. He moved his car over to our truck and created magic on my battery and wa-la we came home. We are now waiting for our hook up to be complete, so that the government can start watching us. Cause I know that is what they are doing!
Okay...they said...it should only be around fifteen minutes to make the connections complete and it has been two hours! I have to make another on of those phone calls! Damn!

I. AM. PISSED.

Warning...may include some nasty swear words, not for the feint of heart, I'm not going to apologize for any of this. So, if you don't want to read major rants and raves, STOP READING NOW.

And I am not afraid to admit it. Damn the effing powers that be. DAMN THEM all to hell. No. Really.
My eyes changed color today. It doesn't happen often, and although it may be intriguing, it's NOT a pretty sight.
I know, I know, you are wondering if I have gone off the deep end. You are wondering what in Heaven's name I am talking about aren't ya?

Well, I'll tell ya....

First off. The eye color change. It is temporary. I didn't know this happened until about five years ago, when someone told me it happened. This person had the guts to stand in front of me one time when I was raging...RAGING mad. The look on her face was precious and I almost lost my rage, but I didn't. Then she told me..."Your eyes changed color when you got mad!" I wasn't mad at her, she was listening to me when I was talking about an incident. So, then I knew. People could tell when I was absolutely died in the wool, ragingly pissed off at them. GOOD I say. Let them know I am serious. I hope that when it happens they piss themselves, cause when I am that mad, I want something to snortle about afterwards.

Next history...my bosses told us all last year that the insurance premiums were going up. Okay fine, shit happens, a problem, but something we all just have to live with. Then they say (because they love us all so much) [YEAH; RIGHT] BUT, we are going to do this...we are going to change your coverage so that the premiums stay the same, but you will have to pay a $50 co pay when you go to the doctor. You bring the receipt back to us and we will cut you a check for $35 to off set what you paid at the doctor. This way we will save money and there will be no more out of your pocket than you have already been paying. Everybody leaves the meeting happy. (Okay, smile now)

So. I went to the doctor yesterday. I paid my $50. (Which, by the way I had to BORROW) I take the receipt back to the boss. Well, the accountant. She told me I would have to wait til the boss comes back to sign the check. No problem. Until the boss comes in. He says, "No I am not writing a check. She will have to wait for her next paycheck." The accountant came downstairs and relayed the message. I had to wait several minutes before I could go ask the boss what he was doing. (Cause swearing would have happened)

He gave me that same song and dance that all bosses are so good about. "You misunderstood what we said at the meeting, we could change your coverage so that your premiums are higher but you only pay the $15 co-payment. I could let go of several or all of our employees so that I save money by hiring stool pigeons to do your work, I just bought a fourth store and we are going under and I am floundering here, why don't you feel bad for me? I just got back from Hawaii and God it was hot and I was so miserable. We can do what you want, but things are going to change after that." Oh beside the fact that they want to put my $35 in my paycheck and TAX it AGAIN...no shit, I would get about $31 and change. It was some mumbo jumbo about medical premium advance something-er-other.

My response was, I didn't buy all those stores, I didn't go to Hawaii, I was here working my ass off in the store, doing what I do best...selling stuff. I did not misunderstand a thing. I don't do financial stuff, I don't understand that, what I do understand is that I was told one thing and now I am being told another.

I got my money, in cash, just after I clocked out for the day. Now I have to find the letter that they gave us at the time they told us about the changes. And then I go to the labor board. I am thinking this is highway robbery.

I'm feeling passively threatened about my job. The way he said, we could just "let" people go and hire yeah, I said it...stool pigeons. Go ahead asshat! Make my day. I could use the next 6 months off with pay to develope my business at home. I'm not backing down, I will stay and make them do what they said they'd do, I will fight. I'm to old to let their idle threats bother me.

BUT I am still PISSED!

Elton is in the house!

Actually "Elton" left the house. My oldest is on her yearly adventure with a friend. They are driving down the coast to surf other waters. This maybe their last year to do this for a while. OD will (hopefully) be going into her Respiratory Therapist Program after this summer. IF she can get the funds! It's going to cost her about $9000 for the classes, books, fees, etc. and she was turned down for a loan. The $9000 doesn't cover the cost of living and transportation to and from school. She will be going full time, so working a part time job like she's been doing won't cut it, and she needs to study, study, study, so a job is going to be hard to do.
I'm hoping her grandparents will come through for her. All they have to do is
co-sign, after she starts working she will pay the loan. (Which is a scary thought, because what if she doesn't get work after she graduates???
Anyway, I hope they have a blast on their three week trek down the coast. (Her friend's parents are going too, so I know they are relatively safe...else I would have been a little nervous)
She's been gone for under twenty four hours and I already miss her!

I Have to Make a Change!

That's Tootsie up there. She has nothing to do with me needing to make a change. I just like the picture and thought I would share.

As for me making a change, well, that is what I need to do. I have tried in the past and failed. I mean, I am in charge of my life right? Why can't I make myself do what I need to do? Is it down right laziness? Is it fear of success? Is it that I don't know what I think I know to make these changes? It may be all of the above. Or none of it.
What got me to thinking about this now is that I just spent the better part of my day making myself a tunic. It's just a plain ol' shirt, kind of cute...for me. Different than what I normally would wear these days, but what I would like to wear, instead of all the stupid T-shirts I get cheap and then wear out in a year. I made it in a size I figured would be roomy so I could wear it to work and have plenty of movement space. But NO! I finished it except for the hemming and little embellishments I was going to do. I tried it on and Oh HELL no! It is as tight as it can get!
I HAVE to lose weight. I have to get on that bandwagon and take care of myself. I don't know what is going to make me follow through. I do all that imagining how I could look with a few less pounds (who is kidding who here? I need to lose a lot more than a few pounds) I imagine how I will feel when I lose the weight. Maybe that is what is wrong; I can't imagine that far ahead! I am paying for WeightWatcher's online. I know deep down that I MUST lose it. If I am going to be around on this earth for a while I need to lose the weight. All of it. Every last ounce of it.
I do well for a while. You've seen it on my side bar. I lost some weight. Well, people, I put all that back on and then some. I am not giving up the WeightWatcher's online because I want to save the money. I am leaving it there and paying for it until I get my head out of my ass and use it.
Anyone got any suggestions!

I may not have been blogging, but I have been up to something. I crocheted the afghan in the pictures. It was a really fun afghan to stitch. My daughters even made comments about how I was sticking to it for a change! (Something I rarely do) I do finish things, but usually it takes a while to accomplish them. This, I just couldn't leave alone. I saw the beginnings of the afghan at
http://charmingly-wicked.blogspot.com/ and fell in love with the design. I am partial to Dragonflies anyway and this was just another way to work some into my life. I had the yarn already so I just started. It took a lot more yarn than I had on hand, so I kept having to go back to the store to get more. Which if you do any kind of stitching like this, you know is a big boo-boo. The last 20 rows ended up being an entirely different tone of white altogether. Damn! It is still pretty and will still be warm, I just don't feel as though I can gift anyone with it, so it will just have to remain mine! Darn! The whole concept of filet crochet was foreign to me. I thought it would be hard, but it was as easy as it gets. I am so glad that I attempted it in the first place! The pattern is Dragonfly Afghan Pattern from http://www.hassdesign.com/FiletCrochetDesigns/IP/FiletAfghans/ I paid only $2.50 for the pattern itself.
My sister took me out for my birthday last night. OD also went, because she likes any excuse to hang out with her old mom and Auntie. Plus, her "cooler than cool itself" cousin was going to be there as well. Cousin's boyfriend was playing in a band that we went to see. Go to:http://www.robincampbellband.com/ to see the band for yourself and hear a little of their music. Pretty darned fun! My ears are still ringing! We got home a little after midnight. I managed to get through my day at work. It wasn't too bad considering I had about 5-1/2 hours of sleep! It actually went just fine. I feel a nap coming on now, but I am going to wait til bedtime, so I can sleep.
That's it for all my fun in the last few days. Monday I have an appointment with a new doctor. I am going with a laundry list of things I have concerns over. Namely my feet, knees, hips. I think I should talk to a nutritionist and get some feed back on what they might consider a better diet for me. Maybe some pointers on cutting out my sugar intake, cause I sure can't seem to make myself cut it out. Maybe get them to do blood tests and make sure everything is working as it should be. I am tired of being tired and in pain twenty-four/seven