1/29

I gave the gift of a compliment to a stranger.

She had on a beautiful sweater and because I am a knitter, I could tell that it was made by hand.

Knitters really appreciate it when people notice the stuff they make.

It made her feel good and it made me feel good. Not a bad start to my 29 days.

A challenge

I came across this and thought it was neat. I've been feeling a little "all-about-me-ish" lately and this just might be the ticket to give myself a good shaking. Forget about my own garbage for a little bit.

I've actually been doling out little gifts lately, anyway. Pumpkin cupcakes, lasagna, dollars. But it hasn't really been that intentional. It was just because I had it in the house or in my hand already.

But, I am going to plan a few gifts out and try to make the world around me a better place. It might just help me get my craft groove going, too.

If you want more info or to join in, go here.

Yikes

Thank you, ladies. We'll get it looked at right away!

Where's Heloise when I need her?

Help, please.

In my home we have a gas top stove. I'm learning to cook with the flame. Not such a big deal, BUT..

The Soot! Is this normal? To have black soot covering the whole bottom of my pans and that the soot is ruining all my new, sparkling white bar mops. The stuff is everywhere.

I ruined my favorite apron. I'm glad I've been wearing an apron.

Also, when I turn the oven on, there is a very strong gas smell. I worry that the oven may not be ventilated properly.

Any hints from gourmet cooks out there would be very much appreciated.

The view from my window

This is what I followed for three days this summer. It was affectionately referred to as "the big, white can". Why? Because if it slowed down at all, it forced me to brake, which then threw off the cruise control, which lead me to yell "Move your big, white can!"

My kids thought it was hilarious. The first 300 times.

We had an unfortunate incident with the big, white can. It is the incident in which I said the S--- word in front of my children. (Gasp! No, not that!) A word that they had never heard from my lilly-white mouth. Oh, sure... they've heard my many and wondrous euphamisms, euphamisms that really make me quite proud of my creativity, but they hadn't heard mom get down and dirty.

But the situation called for it! My husband took the on ramp too fast, hit the shoulder funny and ALMOST TIPPED OVER!

I didn't have time for a creative euphamism. I was watching my husband of twenty years and my youngest child flip a moving truck.

The word was out, and the crisis was over in the blink of an eye and then I looked into the eyes of my son through the rear view mirror. He had a smirk. "Mooooommmm!" You cussed!

Now my son constantly reminds everyone that once, I said a bad word. If he sees me start to get worked up about something, he'll put his hand on my shoulder and remind me to watch my language. All with that glint in his eye and smirk on his mouth. He thinks he's so funny. :)

Hair intervention

Cracked me up!

Let me tell you a little something about this guy. You see him, right? Look just to the left of the copy machine. See that bald him. That's him.

The International Man of Mystery.

I feel like I can blog about this now that I am no longer an agent of the public library. Which by the way, was the best job ever and I miss my job, ever so much. I wonder if I could telecommute?

Anyway... Back to the guy.

For months, this guy came in every morning, just after I would unlock the doors. He never used the computer. He never checked anything out. His reading material was either the newspapers and magazines or a book he brought in himself. Every now and then he would say Good Morning, if I caught his eye, but mostly he just did his own thing and didn't really address anyone.

At about 8:30 he would go to the bathroom. Then he would go to his mini-van (which had a large red stuffed heart on the rearview mirror) and drink from a water bottle. It did, indeed, look like water that was in the bottle. Then he would come in, read again, look at the phone books, read some more, go to the bathroom again. When my shift ended, he would still be there.

I once went to the car to see if he lived in it, but he didn't. He was also always clean and had a fresh tshirt on. He had a limp. He was just okay looking. Not handsome, but not ugly. He looked like he ate regularly.

I never really got a chance to talk to him because he never checked anything out, which is the only way I could have gotten his name, but I did ask him what he was reading once, and it was Odd Thomas, which I liked. He also told me that he switched between fiction and non-fiction, so he would not be reading the whole series back to back, which is they way I always do series.

So, a couple days before my last day at work, I decided I was going to get some dirt on this guy. I would just walk right up and ask him for his story. I might add here, that I never did get a creepy, weird feeling around him. He was just a guy.

On my second to last day, he did not show! This guy had not missed a day in MONTHS! But that was okay, because I still had another day to corner him.

But it was not to be. He did not show on my last day, either.

I feel like I did not get the closure I need to put the best job ever behind me.

I have some theories. They are:

1) He was out of work. He did not want to tell his wife so he got up and spent the day at the library in order to keep up appearances.

2) He was an independently wealthy person who was bored and lonely and didn't want to read alone in his apartment.

3) He worked the night shift and needed something to do until it was time for sleep.

4) He was an undercover agent, protecting the library from library crimes.

5) He was a guardian angel and he didn't show up anymore because his mission was over.

Okay, I will stop now, because I could let myself get even more carried away.

So, what do you think? Do you have a theory? And if you know who that is, by all means, speak up!

Scenes from a walk

Looks almost real doesn't it?
This is a typical sight in my area. For some reason, people collect rusted out cars and just leave them sitting on their property. Maybe they all have dreams of participating in the demolition derby.
Lookee! Sea Lion mailbox holders!
A self portrait.

That's so Random

Green Girl has tagged a bunch of bloggers to do this meme. Go see hers and then start thinking of your own!

The "rules" of the game are as follows:

1. Post the rules on your blog

2. Write 6 random things about yourself

3. Tag 6 people at the end of your post

4. If you're tagged, DO IT and pass on the tag

1. I eat blackberries on my walk everyday. I just walk right up to the bush and have my breakfast. It feels downright sneaky, but there they are, free for the taking.

2. I bought a new to me dining room table from St. Vincents Thrift Store for 36.00. It's pretty banged up but it's doing the trick.

3. I have been dealing with a mild depression concerning a bad haircut I received right before I moved. What used to be silky and shiny is now choppy and dry looking and my layers are not uniform and the girl texturized the heck out of the back and there are pieces that flip out at weird places and... I could go on. It really does consume a lot of my thinking lately. I'm trying to decide if I should go ask someone to fix it or if I should just suffer the grow out. Does bad texturizing even grow out, or does it have to be cut off?

4. I eat two pounds of vegetables everyday! Stirfry, salads, cooked, steamed, raw, what have you. I will never get colon cancer.

5. My house is filled with people who quote movie lines on a daily basis. A favorite is when I hear my little one tell me to "have fun storming the castle' when I go out on an errand.

6. I believe in Big Foot.

Here are my tag-ees:

Becky B.

Sue K.

Carrie A.

Little miss sunshine state - (Not sure if I'm supposed to reveal your name!)

Shanna

Sarah Louise

Erin

And, of course, YOU! Consider yourself tagged!
Yeah, I know that's more than six, but that's okay. The more the merrier.

Scenes from summer

My daughter has found her place in the world!

A very weird dream

I am job hunting. Not one of the most pleasant things I enjoy doing, but it has to be done, so I'm doing it. It's starting to take over my in my sleep though.

Here is my very vivid and memorable nap dream. Nap dreams are always more vivid and memorable to me.

I am finally called to have an interview. (As of yet, I 've put out approximately a jillion resumes and applications an online forms chosen from a wide variety of business places and have not recieved ONE CALL for an interview).

Anyway. I finally have an interview at a museum. I get lost on the way there, so am a little late and befuddled when I walk in. A man who looks like the guy on the fish stick box begins my interview process, telling me a little about the job and then I doze off. I wake to to hear him say, "Let's begin".

He then begins to rapid fire these questions and I'm not sure how to reply so I start saying, huh? and wait? and he's putting those down as my answers and he just keeps talking really fast and I think I might have started to cry.

Then, I say I have to go to the bathroom and I'm crying and I run into someone who looks like a cross between Cloris Leachman and a lady I used to go to church with and she's so excited that I'll be working there and is going on and on about my 'contributions' and 'assets' and I'm just trying to find a bathroom.

In the bathroom I run into Sarah Louise who also works at the museum and I tell her what has happened and she says it's not a problem. She can take over the interview and finish the questions with me. Sarah Louise is wearing horn rimmed glasses and a regular sized tape recorder chained around her neck. She also has a strip of pink hair. She makes me feel better and as we are walking back to the room to finish the interview, we run into to museum curator and SL introduces me to him and I'm not sure if I'm supposed to shake his hand or not because he keeps extending his hand and pulling it back as I try to clasp it.

Then I look down to see that although I am dressed for an interview on top, I have forgotten to change out of my pajama pants which are these pink and blue checked things that I don't even own in real life any more because they looked so bad that I tossed them.

I'm looking down at my pants and then topple over a row of chairs and then the curator walks over me and keeps going. The curator has an entourage and they walk over me, too. Then Cloris Leachman comes to congratulate me and hopes that I will work in her department.

Sarah Louise disappears and then I wake up to the smell of chili that my husband made for lunch.

Weird, eh?

Smelling good

My walks here are so aromatic. I love it.

Today I smelled:

Sunshine

Warm blackberries - there is nothing like it. I think I have plundered and pillaged every blackberry bush I come across.

Some sort of lemony-herbal scent. yum

Vanilla pipe tobacco. I don't know why, but I love it.

Grass

Someone was doing laundry with April Fresh Downy. I myself choose the vanilla lavender, but I used to use the April Fresh and like it, too.

Just a hint of horse manure, but not enough to offend me. :P

More black berries.

Such a pleasant, pleasant walk.

Somethings going on with my pictures

I'm having trouble figuring out stuff on my computer. New place, different stuff, not enough brain power left over to figure it out. We might just have to go picture-less for awhile.

Today was the first day of school for my kids. Again with the new place and different stuff. I worry about them. I know they will do great and have already met some of their classmates, but first days are always hard.

Goals for today are:

Take a walk - already did it!
Do some laundry
Organize a room

I think that's enough.

I'll go fiddle with my pictures again and try to what's up there, too.

TTFN

Scenes from our trip

This is a guy in a parking lot, taking his blood pressure and smoking a cigarette.

It just struck me as ironic.

Just a post

No pics yet. I have some, but I can't seem to get it together to actually download them.

But here is some news.

I am job hunting. One of the more unpleasant things I endure. All the resume bringing and online applications and getting two letters of reference and asking to speak with managers and then the waiting. Why don't they call? Should I call them? What's wrong with my resume? Did I forget to put on my phone number... and, and. and.

When I am working at a place and someone comes in to ask for an application I am SO nice to them. I know what it's like to be them and I know it's no fun. I'm also super nice to whoever the new employee is, because being new is one of the other unpleasant things I endure. I hate being new.

But it does lead to a paycheck and I really like those.

Other news: My older two kids have started soccer, which means they have already met some of the kids they will be in class with. I am hoping this will lead to a nice and easy transition into a new high school.

My younger two can't wait for school to start. They are tired of each other and are ready for some socialization with other kids.

I am getting used to our new environment. I love being back in the northwest, but miss my friends. I think our family is going to do nicely here, though, so I am at peace.

Hubby starts his new job on Tuesday, kids on Wednesday and then I am going to finish unpacking and settling the house.

Also, I am going back on my good eating plan. All this eating out and grabbing bites and not being able to cook and having no furniture to eat on is coming to an end. We now have a fridge and propane to work the stove. I've used it all as an excuse to eat whatever I want and it is showing. My face looks like a teenagers, and not in a good way. I'm broken out all over the place. My rear looks like a grandma's and that's no good either.

And, I'm going to be 40 in 4 months. I want to bring in a new decade feeling strong and energetic and looking good.

Okay, so that was one long ramble, but I've been too long away from my blog. This pretty much sums it all up and now we can get back to regular programming.

We're here!

At the library - will post again once we have internet at home.

Miss all you Iowans, and am grateful I'm taking my internet buddies with me. Can't wait to catch up with you all in the comfort of my new home.

We are fine and adjusting and settling in. Thank you for whatever prayers and good thoughts you are having for us.

Moving on down the road

Well, we got all packed up yesterday and started our journey westward this morning.

Did that seem quick to you? It was really quick for me.

It's been very hard to say goodbye to friends. I can't believe that in the short amount of time we lived in Iowa, I was able to develop the friendships that I have. This move is a necessity for our family, but it is incredibly difficult to leave my people. There is no way I'll give up my friends. I know that email and phoning will keep us close, but it won't be the same.

So after gallons of tears and more than a little stress, we are heading down the highway and ready for a new adventure.

My daughter and I have been taking some interesting photos, so when we get there I'll have some fun stuff to show you. I'll be back again once we are settled!

Setting the record straight

Somebody googled "Smelly Laundry" and my blog popped up. How funny is that?

Just for the record, my laundry smells like lavender and vanilla. Yum.

I've been packing like a maniac today. Tonight my girlfriends, otherwise known as the 'Hot Mama's', come over to scrub and pack up my kitchen. I pity the friend who has to do the kids bathroom. There's a lot of scum up there, let me tell ya.

For some reason, when I know I'm going to move, all cleaning maintenance goes out the window and we live in squallor until we empty out the place, and then I make my friends come over and shiny everything up for the new people.

I've decided all the socks are going to the rag bin and we will get new when we get there. Everyone will get seven pairs of socks and they will all have different color toes. That way I know who to yell (and by yell, I mean lovingly teach. ha) at when I have to pick them up off the floor.

But before the cleaning, we get a couples date with friends at the nice restaurant in town. Isn't is sad that I can call it THE nice restaurant and the locals will know which one I'm talking about? I think our new town will actually have THREE nice restaurants! And, if we take a ferry ride, there will be a million-bazillion restaurants to choose from.

Now, I'm hitting the showers to pretty up for my date. TTFN, folks.

Resolutions

I will stop buying new lotion before the old lotion is used up.

I will stop buying cheap clothing that lasts two washes.

I will consider carefully the things that I buy. I have thrown out way too much stuff that I didn't really like and didn't really need.

I will not hold on to things for too long that are worn out or never used. Better to let someone else have them than to keep them just because they cost me money.

I will not buy books unless I know I will refer to them regularly or read them over and over.

I will consider carefully to gifts I give people. Are they meaningful? Are they useful? Am I contributing to their stuff problem?

I will not be ruled by my stuff. I will conquer and live free!!!

I resolve to find a solution to my laundry situation. Yikes!

Okay, that is the end of that!

Green News: Day three of the baking soda/vinegar hair wash. Still light and fluffy. Not really caring for the smell during the rinse process, but it doesn't stay smelly so I won't give up yet. Maybe I'll learn to like it.

Happy Saturday, y'all

(Please accept this gratuitous photograph that has nothing to do with this post. I just haven't used any pictures in the last few posts and needed something to spruce up my randomness! My daughter (far right) and her friends playing mud pit volleyball. Awesome.)

I've decided to cancel my mammogram appointment. I just think it's too much what with all the packing and moving two days later. Plus, my husband, the ever vigilant health researcher, agrees with Erin. He thinks thermography is the way to go for us.

I am keeping my hair masque appointment and getting a few new layers in, though. I've been googling hair salon prices in my new destination and they are ASTRONOMICAL!! But I also found a hip and trendy (because we all know that I am hip and trendy) cosmetology school that offers inexpensive services. I don't mind being a guinea pig for a $20 shampoo, cut and style.

Green News: I did the baking soda and apple cider vinegar wash in place of my regular shampoo yesterday and I gotta say, my hair is light and fluffy. Feels good after I slept on it all night, too. I'll give it a few weeks and see how it goes. Can't beat the price.

Other Green News: I finally remembered to take my reusable totes to the grocery store yesterday and I felt so good about it. You can get twice as many items in them and they are so easy to carry and I felt super responsible and a little uppity toward the people who weren't using them. (Not really uppity, ya know, just feeling good about myself).

I'm determined to use all good, clean, natural products in our new house. I've been reading up on homemade cleansers and body products. I don't think I will change everything all at once, that would be a recipe for sure disaster, but over time I hope to use less chemical stuff and more essential oils.

Be sure to let me know what works for you. This path is filled with trial and error!

Up for today: Laundry and packing. Cleaning and sprucing. Watching friends in "The Little Mermaid", maybe some swimming, then more packing. I'm determined to have the upstairs completely finished by Tuesday, at the latest.

Blessings on your day, friends!