tumbling.. our course narrowed down to two likely paths. Greg's return from Boston this weekend and it is decision making time... Factors to weigh and outcome to be determined. Ill be happy when we switch gears into action and hustle. Time to wrap up school, get things packed and do this thing. Space to breath and not be stacked in like sardines, however I must say that everyone has been a trooper in that department.
This whole house hunting really has been a chore. An interesting one. We have seen landlords who fit the mold of the used car salesmen. Smarmy and with no real interest in anything but a quick buck. We've seen beautiful perfect properties and been crushed when they went to someone who got there just a hair quicker and so we have sped up our game. We've been misled and we have pulled up to appointments in neighborhoods where we opted to just drive away. To another one that didn't allow pets but was torn up and tagged with gang signs inside and the owner was not going to correct those issues. And she would not allow a dog?! What?! That one was strange in that the vibe actually made me start cussing before I even started seeing those crappy details. Very uncharacteristic of me in a setting where Im trying to make a good impression or any setting really. I think the long term effects of that house on my psyche (or on the rest of us) would not have been good.
Anyway, We've learned what we want and we are poised and ready to pounce. I'm excited the end is in sight. Two totally different directions lay before us. A lovely house in a beautiful suburb (We were first in and it is as good as ours). Or a home on some land in the country (this one has another couple looking but I have hit it off already with the Owner and he is looking forward to meeting Greg. ) Which one? Do we want to be in the country or in the city? Either way, I suspect this weekend will wrap up in grand celebration.
In the meantime, our housemate, had a recent job interview up SJ way. She will hear back next week and our fingers are crossed. It would be right up her alley and be in the field/position she has strived to be in. Her odds are not bad from where we are sitting. The law office she works in temporarily has connections there and she has made a very positive impression on them. She will get a glowing recommendations. Our fingers are crossed that it falls into place for her quickly. And if not there, somewhere else.
Car update... Geez...
We have a buyer lined up for our Housemates vehicle. Yay! Still looking to unload the gt3000 but its specialized and someone will want it for parts. That can be handled once Greg gets back. We picked up a 90 Toyota 4runner. It didn't pass smog so I have that yet to contend with. But it will all get done.
My dad is finally in the ground in a veterans cemetery near Whiskey Town. Hes been sitting on a shelf (ashes) for quite a while and when the anniversary of his death arrived, my bro jumped and got the deed done. Its good to have that little bit of business taken care of. We are going camping up that way soon and will be making a visit to see Pops along the way.
I have promised to talk more about Henna and, Karen, I will ... soon...
Also, I plan to change things up on this blog a bit once things start settling.. there are many subjects that I don't discuss at home because I am living in the moment and dealing with everyday living activities but which I have strong opinions on. Monsanto for instance. So I will be occasionally getting a bit bolder and opinionated with my posts rather then just write personal narrative. Not that personal narrative alone is bad. It can be quite humorous at times really but I might as well put some meat on those funny bones. Not sure how it will manifest but it will be something. Stay tuned for that.
In the meantime, have you seen the new Red Dawn? The dude, Chris Hemsworth who plays Jed, reminds me of my brother sooooo much. I think it is funny he also played Thor. Billy, old red beard, ought to understand why. :)
Ok I have to get back to the tasks at hand. See you on the flip side!
Friday, May 3, 2013
Monday, April 29, 2013
Shifting Sands
So much to talk about.. so much going on.. yet.. its almost as if we are suspended mid air... mid action.. balls in the air.. or in the hairs breath before the dice land.
I suppose there is a lot going on. The hunt for the house.. Yes.. No real word yet. Two possibilities seriously considered. One despite gorgeous details and whirlpool tubs.. yes plural.. just was not the right fit. The second one we layed our ap down on Saturday. There was another couple there chomping at the bit. We were told we would hear by Sunday. We told her we would do a 2 year lease. We didn't hear. Ill follow up today.
Along with getting new glasses for Greg ordered. (His broke just as he was up and on his way out the door to Boston. He is going to have a long week without them.) I will be registering the 4-runnner. Which is the replacement car for the GTX3000 that had its timing belt go just after we bought it and resulted in a rod being thrown clear through the oil pan. That baby is dead. We are looking to unload it and given its specialized nature should not have too hard of a time getting it sold. We sold the Lancer to our room mate. Which made the purchase of the 4-runner possible. Now to sell her other car as well and that will go to moving expenses. Whew. But we have all our bases covered.
And speaking about those Blackhawks.. Not really.. I was talking about baseball but that brings me to my brother and him mentioning being impressed that I have a team now.. but the thing is.. I've had a team for a long time. Ive had a team since... like... 1995ish. I don't remember.. college years a blur. But I became a Blackhawks fan for three reasons 1) What is black and white and red all over??.. you thought I was going to say a newspaper.. but seriously their colors are awesome! 2) Because they were aggressive and hard hitting and full of all sorts of grrrr... 3) and lastly there was a guy... isn't there always?!.. but seriously He was simply a hockey fan (and a Holsclaw.. but not the one I was dating) who gave me insight into the game... A teacher.. a mentor even if you will. And that was his team. So there you have it.. how I came to be a Blackhawks fan. All that aside... Its a stellar year for them.... Stellar!!
Back at home.. Teenage Dreams.. A week of bliss.. only to have the reality of the world crash back down on you. If only it could be like that all the time. But it can't. Life sucks sometimes. Now back to work.
And on a side note... I also want to take a moment to remember Dad. Gone but not forgotten.. And now yes.. its back to work.
I suppose there is a lot going on. The hunt for the house.. Yes.. No real word yet. Two possibilities seriously considered. One despite gorgeous details and whirlpool tubs.. yes plural.. just was not the right fit. The second one we layed our ap down on Saturday. There was another couple there chomping at the bit. We were told we would hear by Sunday. We told her we would do a 2 year lease. We didn't hear. Ill follow up today.
Along with getting new glasses for Greg ordered. (His broke just as he was up and on his way out the door to Boston. He is going to have a long week without them.) I will be registering the 4-runnner. Which is the replacement car for the GTX3000 that had its timing belt go just after we bought it and resulted in a rod being thrown clear through the oil pan. That baby is dead. We are looking to unload it and given its specialized nature should not have too hard of a time getting it sold. We sold the Lancer to our room mate. Which made the purchase of the 4-runner possible. Now to sell her other car as well and that will go to moving expenses. Whew. But we have all our bases covered.
And speaking about those Blackhawks.. Not really.. I was talking about baseball but that brings me to my brother and him mentioning being impressed that I have a team now.. but the thing is.. I've had a team for a long time. Ive had a team since... like... 1995ish. I don't remember.. college years a blur. But I became a Blackhawks fan for three reasons 1) What is black and white and red all over??.. you thought I was going to say a newspaper.. but seriously their colors are awesome! 2) Because they were aggressive and hard hitting and full of all sorts of grrrr... 3) and lastly there was a guy... isn't there always?!.. but seriously He was simply a hockey fan (and a Holsclaw.. but not the one I was dating) who gave me insight into the game... A teacher.. a mentor even if you will. And that was his team. So there you have it.. how I came to be a Blackhawks fan. All that aside... Its a stellar year for them.... Stellar!!
Back at home.. Teenage Dreams.. A week of bliss.. only to have the reality of the world crash back down on you. If only it could be like that all the time. But it can't. Life sucks sometimes. Now back to work.
And on a side note... I also want to take a moment to remember Dad. Gone but not forgotten.. And now yes.. its back to work.
Saturday, April 20, 2013
Spring is springing
Cough cough hack hack.. not the way any of us wants (ed) to spend Spring Break. But here we are where sniffles and sneezes abound.
That is not to say that it has been a week wasted or lost. The down time has given me the chance to attend to administrative duties, paperwork, and house hunting. That's right a change is surely coming. The blow up with the landlord earlier this month, left us sitting and discussing options and working to determine what is in everyone's best interest. Greg and I have had the idea of taking permanent housemates for years as we understood that financial burdens would be lessened and quality of life would be improved. Perhaps we were somewhat idealistic in our vision of "perfection" ... I don't think either of us envisioned jumping in with a single mom and teenagers.. Our sights were more on a childless couple...With home decorating talents and whose Two additional incomes would provide an extremely luxurious lifestyle with much travel... off to Amsterdam... or to France on a cruise ship.. or fly out to Japan.. whatever.. to visit friends abroad (I have a few!) once a year.. Retire early.. start our own business. It was an awesome dream!
but...
Back to reality... And honestly the reality isn't bad. No its not "Ideal" and no we wont be likely to travel the globe just yet, but making this move will improve our lot in life. When Greg was first promoted to Director, he turned to me, and asked if he thought we would be able to host work functions at our home. As a Director, it is sort of expected. At least, all his previous directors have always hosted holiday parties and the like at their residences. And I am a decent hostess who is more than a little willing to offer Hospitality when it is necessary.. but we can't do it here. There is no way. Now with the promise of additional income to support expenses, we CAN have that house. Greg CAN be the boss he is supposed to be.
And there are other benefits as well. Our quality of living will improve and we can work on paying down some debt. Also, there is the practical side of things. With Greg gone as much as he is, we have companions to keep us company. This offers him a peace of mind.
With house mates, the chore distribution is more evenly distributed. In otherwords, Im stepping back in my role of caretaking/housekeeping. Which quiet honestly is a relief for me and good for my children to learn some responsibility.. like how to clear and wash their own dishes and cook a meal. How to clean a bathroom and run a vacuum cleaner. As things are now, everyone chips in and does their part and I get glared at if I slip into my bad habits of doing everything for everybody all the time. And they were bad habits. To proceed in the same fashion, would likely turn Con into a mamas boy who is incapable of doing anything for himself. That's not who I want him to be.
This might seem like a bit of a topic switch.. but hear me out.. have you ever seen the show Wife Swap? The goal of that show is to take two families from very different backgrounds and swap the wives. In doing so the new wife lives the old wife's life for a week then makes the family live by her rules for another week. The show can be comical and it can be ugly.. just as all real life dramas can be. But in the end, the aim is for these households to emerge from the experience more balanced and with greater perspective. There is no "swapping" part in our situation, however, the outcome of this family being with us does give us just that... a sense of balance and perspective. Angele and I have very contrasting personalities.. eternal optimist verses pragmatic pessimist.. yet our goals and ambitions for our families are in complete line. Her presence makes me stronger, I in turn soften her up a little. Each of us finding a happy medium and in turn making us each better in our job as parent.
And what about travel? Well... there will be more of that too. We will be able to manage more vacations... we will save the globe trotting for later. This summer we have a number of camping trips lined up as well as a trip to Disneyland. Some of us have not had the experience and it should be done at least once in a kids life plus we will be celebrating a 16th birthday. on a side note.. you may be wondering how I plan to y navigate the noise and crowds (when it first came up I know I was)... Im hermitty by nature... Not because I prefer to be alone but because lots of people packed in small places and conversing (Even a restaurant) leaves me stunned and unable to fully function in a mental capacity. I sort of shut down because I process so much through auditory channels. As if in response to this my phone finally took its last breath and I was forced to replace it. Now I have the means to plug into music when I need to calm my frazzled nerves. Music does indeed soothe my savage beast. The kids are all stoked.
We dropped applications off earlier this week for a house in the hills. Beautiful country. Our fingers are crossed. Its going to take a few more days for the application to be processed. The property managers offices were impacted by the AT&T cables being sabatoged in San Jose. Im not going to talk too much about it as we have kept the kids in the dark a little until we get a confirmation. Don't want to dash hopes although they know we are busy looking. I hope by Monday we have definite word.
Also this week is the Sea Otter Classic Bike race. http://www.seaotterclassic.com/ Greg volunteered 12 hours as a lap counter. Hes there as I write this... I hope he took sunscreen and a hat... and tissue.
Thursday I hosted a Beach Clean Up near the Aquarium for a a group of 250 homeschool parents and children from Grass Valley Ca. Stretching my voice far enough was rough but it was fun. We pulled a 5 foot tall 12 inch diameter PVC pipe out of the sand even. The kids aught to remember it a little.
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Willow scared the heck out of me the other day... I ran to get some meds for Greg and noticed it was sunset so on a whim I drove to the beach for a quick survey. I pulled up and sat back to watch from the comfort of a semi wind block while I listened to the crashing waves through my open window. Three older people stood near by taking pics. I got lost in thought... daydreaming and embracing a moment of bliss. when.. BANG BANG BANG willow starts hitting on the passenger window. Willow and Irie were laughing so hard I thought they would pee their pants. Im sure the look of shock and freaking out-ed-ness was hilarious but Damn! I know I about peed mine!
Let me take a moment here aside to address something very important... You CAN look cute in a helmet. How?! http://www.refinery29.com/helmet-hairstyles Don't let me catch you without one again.. missy! You know who you are and now Im done scolding you.
This weekend promises to be very active and busy. We plan to get a car, see sharks (in the sea.. not on the ice), go to a birthday party, Aden is off to Magic the Gathering Compitition, And Iries very nice long distance boyfriend with the last name of, ironically, Holsclaw but not a direct relation, has managed to sneak a ride across the state with his uncle (our neighbor and long time friends with our roommates) who was picking up a puppy to surprise his own kids with and is on his way here now. Was that a convoluted sentence or what?! Anyway.. there is much surprise and fun in the weekend forcast.. as long as we stay on top of this bug and don't let it get any better of us.
P.S. Mom.. you'd be proud.. I henna'ed my hair to cover up the expanding forest of grey. Now Im a bit mahogany.
That is not to say that it has been a week wasted or lost. The down time has given me the chance to attend to administrative duties, paperwork, and house hunting. That's right a change is surely coming. The blow up with the landlord earlier this month, left us sitting and discussing options and working to determine what is in everyone's best interest. Greg and I have had the idea of taking permanent housemates for years as we understood that financial burdens would be lessened and quality of life would be improved. Perhaps we were somewhat idealistic in our vision of "perfection" ... I don't think either of us envisioned jumping in with a single mom and teenagers.. Our sights were more on a childless couple...With home decorating talents and whose Two additional incomes would provide an extremely luxurious lifestyle with much travel... off to Amsterdam... or to France on a cruise ship.. or fly out to Japan.. whatever.. to visit friends abroad (I have a few!) once a year.. Retire early.. start our own business. It was an awesome dream!
but...
Back to reality... And honestly the reality isn't bad. No its not "Ideal" and no we wont be likely to travel the globe just yet, but making this move will improve our lot in life. When Greg was first promoted to Director, he turned to me, and asked if he thought we would be able to host work functions at our home. As a Director, it is sort of expected. At least, all his previous directors have always hosted holiday parties and the like at their residences. And I am a decent hostess who is more than a little willing to offer Hospitality when it is necessary.. but we can't do it here. There is no way. Now with the promise of additional income to support expenses, we CAN have that house. Greg CAN be the boss he is supposed to be.
And there are other benefits as well. Our quality of living will improve and we can work on paying down some debt. Also, there is the practical side of things. With Greg gone as much as he is, we have companions to keep us company. This offers him a peace of mind.
With house mates, the chore distribution is more evenly distributed. In otherwords, Im stepping back in my role of caretaking/housekeeping. Which quiet honestly is a relief for me and good for my children to learn some responsibility.. like how to clear and wash their own dishes and cook a meal. How to clean a bathroom and run a vacuum cleaner. As things are now, everyone chips in and does their part and I get glared at if I slip into my bad habits of doing everything for everybody all the time. And they were bad habits. To proceed in the same fashion, would likely turn Con into a mamas boy who is incapable of doing anything for himself. That's not who I want him to be.
This might seem like a bit of a topic switch.. but hear me out.. have you ever seen the show Wife Swap? The goal of that show is to take two families from very different backgrounds and swap the wives. In doing so the new wife lives the old wife's life for a week then makes the family live by her rules for another week. The show can be comical and it can be ugly.. just as all real life dramas can be. But in the end, the aim is for these households to emerge from the experience more balanced and with greater perspective. There is no "swapping" part in our situation, however, the outcome of this family being with us does give us just that... a sense of balance and perspective. Angele and I have very contrasting personalities.. eternal optimist verses pragmatic pessimist.. yet our goals and ambitions for our families are in complete line. Her presence makes me stronger, I in turn soften her up a little. Each of us finding a happy medium and in turn making us each better in our job as parent.
And what about travel? Well... there will be more of that too. We will be able to manage more vacations... we will save the globe trotting for later. This summer we have a number of camping trips lined up as well as a trip to Disneyland. Some of us have not had the experience and it should be done at least once in a kids life plus we will be celebrating a 16th birthday. on a side note.. you may be wondering how I plan to y navigate the noise and crowds (when it first came up I know I was)... Im hermitty by nature... Not because I prefer to be alone but because lots of people packed in small places and conversing (Even a restaurant) leaves me stunned and unable to fully function in a mental capacity. I sort of shut down because I process so much through auditory channels. As if in response to this my phone finally took its last breath and I was forced to replace it. Now I have the means to plug into music when I need to calm my frazzled nerves. Music does indeed soothe my savage beast. The kids are all stoked.
We dropped applications off earlier this week for a house in the hills. Beautiful country. Our fingers are crossed. Its going to take a few more days for the application to be processed. The property managers offices were impacted by the AT&T cables being sabatoged in San Jose. Im not going to talk too much about it as we have kept the kids in the dark a little until we get a confirmation. Don't want to dash hopes although they know we are busy looking. I hope by Monday we have definite word.
Also this week is the Sea Otter Classic Bike race. http://www.seaotterclassic.com/ Greg volunteered 12 hours as a lap counter. Hes there as I write this... I hope he took sunscreen and a hat... and tissue.
Thursday I hosted a Beach Clean Up near the Aquarium for a a group of 250 homeschool parents and children from Grass Valley Ca. Stretching my voice far enough was rough but it was fun. We pulled a 5 foot tall 12 inch diameter PVC pipe out of the sand even. The kids aught to remember it a little.
Willow scared the heck out of me the other day... I ran to get some meds for Greg and noticed it was sunset so on a whim I drove to the beach for a quick survey. I pulled up and sat back to watch from the comfort of a semi wind block while I listened to the crashing waves through my open window. Three older people stood near by taking pics. I got lost in thought... daydreaming and embracing a moment of bliss. when.. BANG BANG BANG willow starts hitting on the passenger window. Willow and Irie were laughing so hard I thought they would pee their pants. Im sure the look of shock and freaking out-ed-ness was hilarious but Damn! I know I about peed mine!
Let me take a moment here aside to address something very important... You CAN look cute in a helmet. How?! http://www.refinery29.com/helmet-hairstyles Don't let me catch you without one again.. missy! You know who you are and now Im done scolding you.
This weekend promises to be very active and busy. We plan to get a car, see sharks (in the sea.. not on the ice), go to a birthday party, Aden is off to Magic the Gathering Compitition, And Iries very nice long distance boyfriend with the last name of, ironically, Holsclaw but not a direct relation, has managed to sneak a ride across the state with his uncle (our neighbor and long time friends with our roommates) who was picking up a puppy to surprise his own kids with and is on his way here now. Was that a convoluted sentence or what?! Anyway.. there is much surprise and fun in the weekend forcast.. as long as we stay on top of this bug and don't let it get any better of us.
P.S. Mom.. you'd be proud.. I henna'ed my hair to cover up the expanding forest of grey. Now Im a bit mahogany.
Saturday, April 13, 2013
living it up... just a little
The sun was just about to set as we reached Roys in Pebble Beach. We were out to celebrate all of our recent accomplishments. The view and the food were outstanding. The service incomparable.
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Thursday, April 11, 2013
Dropping Acid
Hi Mom! You probably think my title means Im doing drugs. But No! That is not the case. No cause for alarm. I assure you my insanity comes naturally!
Im referring in this particular case to my sweet little girl (No she is not doing drugs either!) and our realization that she most likely is suffering from GERD and has since she was an infant. Her colicky nature.. the tonsils and throat.. and the stomach aches she has complained of continually since she could talk.. the pieces all finally making some sort of sense. With this realization, we now know that we really need to work on minimizing/eliminating the acid producers in our diet... So that is what I meant by the title... well.. that and the fact that it was sort of contextually funny.
In other news.. For the first time in a long time, I went surfing on wed. with my surfrider pal X. Casa Verde was pounding... the picture is deceptive. As we are looking down on the break it does not look like it is throwing out anything very big. But once you are in the water you realize those 3 footers are really around 7 and getting past those breaker is going to be a bit of a bit&^. But X. has skills and following her lead I soon found myself grabbing a wave or two or three. I didn't even try to stand... there was joy enough on just skimming the waves. As we were wrapping up and looking to claim one last ride in (the winds had just shifted and the water was turning choppy), another surfer joined the line up. He turned and began paddling for a wave. I looked to the wave to gauge his timing and ... my breath caught in my throat.. a 5 foot long silver body silhouetted in the wave.. moving fast.. right towards him. It took me a hair of a second to assess.. no fin. not shark, not dolphin. By this time the wave is beginning to catch the surfer and the underwater projectile is on course straight for him. The gigantic seal turns and buzzes the surfer like a plane passing to close and purposefully past an air control tower. Zoom! Was he chasing food or being chased himself? Who knows. It was something to see though.
Once we got out, X. was approached by a looker on-er who insistently questioned her as to what would ever make her go out into these waves. He was from Santa Cruz and could not fathom why we would choose to ride such rough water when Santa Cruz and the famous hook is just up the road. She tried to explain that she didn't usually travel for waves. This is our home and our break and we ride it when we can even if it is not perfection. He could not grasp the idea. Just kept going on about how crappy it was. Dude didn't see the seal.. If he had he might have been reminded that there is magic in our waters even if the waves here are rarely glassy.
Anyway.. anyone out there looking for a VW conversion van with a Mits. engine? When I walked up, I didn't realize X.s van was anything out of the ordinary at first but I realized that was not the case when she threw open the door to put her board in. What a sweet ride with 4 wheel drive. Her man JP is looking to sell it. Approx. 40K give or take. I don't know the exact details except that it made me drool a little and that it was out of my price range. Drop me a line if interested and I will put you in contact.
And speaking of dropped lines.. I got this little response in my inbox from "Eats Your Heart Out" in Reno about my views on Cheesecake factory..
"I am totally with you on the cheesecake factory. I feel more and more like that about restaurants. I rarely enjoy a meal out now - Prefer to cook at home and spend the money on something else. Isn't it silly that I'd rather drop $40 at a nice bar than at a crappy restaurant? haha"
Im right there with you completely Eats! Plus I really like being able to know without a doubt where the ingredients are coming from that I choose to feed my family with. Cooking at home gives me more control over that as opposed to the processed foods you get at your typical restaurant these days... and its cheaper! :)
Ok Im off and running!
Love you!
Im referring in this particular case to my sweet little girl (No she is not doing drugs either!) and our realization that she most likely is suffering from GERD and has since she was an infant. Her colicky nature.. the tonsils and throat.. and the stomach aches she has complained of continually since she could talk.. the pieces all finally making some sort of sense. With this realization, we now know that we really need to work on minimizing/eliminating the acid producers in our diet... So that is what I meant by the title... well.. that and the fact that it was sort of contextually funny.
In other news.. For the first time in a long time, I went surfing on wed. with my surfrider pal X. Casa Verde was pounding... the picture is deceptive. As we are looking down on the break it does not look like it is throwing out anything very big. But once you are in the water you realize those 3 footers are really around 7 and getting past those breaker is going to be a bit of a bit&^. But X. has skills and following her lead I soon found myself grabbing a wave or two or three. I didn't even try to stand... there was joy enough on just skimming the waves. As we were wrapping up and looking to claim one last ride in (the winds had just shifted and the water was turning choppy), another surfer joined the line up. He turned and began paddling for a wave. I looked to the wave to gauge his timing and ... my breath caught in my throat.. a 5 foot long silver body silhouetted in the wave.. moving fast.. right towards him. It took me a hair of a second to assess.. no fin. not shark, not dolphin. By this time the wave is beginning to catch the surfer and the underwater projectile is on course straight for him. The gigantic seal turns and buzzes the surfer like a plane passing to close and purposefully past an air control tower. Zoom! Was he chasing food or being chased himself? Who knows. It was something to see though.
Once we got out, X. was approached by a looker on-er who insistently questioned her as to what would ever make her go out into these waves. He was from Santa Cruz and could not fathom why we would choose to ride such rough water when Santa Cruz and the famous hook is just up the road. She tried to explain that she didn't usually travel for waves. This is our home and our break and we ride it when we can even if it is not perfection. He could not grasp the idea. Just kept going on about how crappy it was. Dude didn't see the seal.. If he had he might have been reminded that there is magic in our waters even if the waves here are rarely glassy.
Anyway.. anyone out there looking for a VW conversion van with a Mits. engine? When I walked up, I didn't realize X.s van was anything out of the ordinary at first but I realized that was not the case when she threw open the door to put her board in. What a sweet ride with 4 wheel drive. Her man JP is looking to sell it. Approx. 40K give or take. I don't know the exact details except that it made me drool a little and that it was out of my price range. Drop me a line if interested and I will put you in contact.
And speaking of dropped lines.. I got this little response in my inbox from "Eats Your Heart Out" in Reno about my views on Cheesecake factory..
"I am totally with you on the cheesecake factory. I feel more and more like that about restaurants. I rarely enjoy a meal out now - Prefer to cook at home and spend the money on something else. Isn't it silly that I'd rather drop $40 at a nice bar than at a crappy restaurant? haha"
Im right there with you completely Eats! Plus I really like being able to know without a doubt where the ingredients are coming from that I choose to feed my family with. Cooking at home gives me more control over that as opposed to the processed foods you get at your typical restaurant these days... and its cheaper! :)
Ok Im off and running!
Love you!
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Ism and Schism
This week has been fraught with good news and bad news. Ups and downs and turn arounds.
Through it a bit of insanity abounds. But only a little.
Willow and Connor have both been selected to attend ISM. ISM? Yes ISM! International School Of Monterey. This is a public charter school which children get enrolled via lottery system. Ive applied to the lottery system every year since we moved. It is a very prestigious school with a great academic record. It focuses on the sciences. And they offer fencing lessons. Willow is stoked! Connor not so much. But this will be a good thing for him to practice a little more structure.
So you ask why stop homeschooling... Well.. I can only give them a limited perspective. This has been great in so many ways. I have loved it. So have they. But I also see where I fall short. How hearing mostly one voice does not necessarily give them a large enough world perspective.. among other things.. mostly social. For in reality, I may be sweet and nice and smart and all that but Im not out there among people as I generally don't like them. But the world is full of people and the kids need to learn to relate a little more. This break from the system has been healing and good for all of us. It has given the kids a chance to focus on the curriculum. To allow Willow to take a breath from the turbulent social waters of Jr. High and become independent and confident in herself without being needlessly torn down and for Connor to take a break from the stress of keeping up with others whose motor skills have outpaced his own. By the time he goes back I hope to have him pretty much moving at a good and comfortable writing speed. Though that will mean some dedicated practice over the summer months. Time to start looking into Uniforms!
That's the ism. Now to address the schism.
The landlord is none to thrilled that I have more people living here and did not mention it sooner. I will admit that I was short sighted in mentioning it to him but.. If I got pregnant in this home with triplets.. hes not the first person Id call... and its not that different of a boat... unexpected growth of a family unit. Anyway, he has kicked them out and so they are currently couch hopping with the neighbors and others and shelters while we get things settled and home regulations with the home association regarding the number of people in a home are addressed. I know I have been looking.. feelers out.. for another home to move into. But the truth is that Id rather not have to move, especially with the kids getting into this school. And the hassle. Who likes to move? I can't recall if I mentioned it but it looks as though buying a house is out. The foreclosure being what it was. Still to soon. So I have had an eye on rentals. Not a whole lot out there but some maneuverability can be found with regards to it. When I talked to the land lord I also asked him if he would consider lowering the rent. I did this before knowing that the additional people was going to be such a thorn in his side. He recently refinanced (or attempted to) and when he called five months ago to say that the appraiser would be by. I asked him then if he got it re-fied if he would consider dropping the rent some. He said he would take it into consideration. I had not talked to him since. My bringing it up again along with the new roommates really made him see red and he told me that if the homeowners research bared out where the additional people were not an issue, that he would probably raise the rent.
Anyway.. I don't know what is going to happen in the next little while. All we can do is see how the pins fall.
In other news, the engine in the car greg traded for the motorcycle is completely destroyed. Now to figure out how to contend with that as well. ugghh.
I know it all sounds like lots of chaos and drama.. and to some extent it is.. but I recognize all of these things are but mole hills and I know we can and will navigate them without taking on any major water. We can contend with these challenges. They are minor all things considered.
Through it a bit of insanity abounds. But only a little.
Willow and Connor have both been selected to attend ISM. ISM? Yes ISM! International School Of Monterey. This is a public charter school which children get enrolled via lottery system. Ive applied to the lottery system every year since we moved. It is a very prestigious school with a great academic record. It focuses on the sciences. And they offer fencing lessons. Willow is stoked! Connor not so much. But this will be a good thing for him to practice a little more structure.
So you ask why stop homeschooling... Well.. I can only give them a limited perspective. This has been great in so many ways. I have loved it. So have they. But I also see where I fall short. How hearing mostly one voice does not necessarily give them a large enough world perspective.. among other things.. mostly social. For in reality, I may be sweet and nice and smart and all that but Im not out there among people as I generally don't like them. But the world is full of people and the kids need to learn to relate a little more. This break from the system has been healing and good for all of us. It has given the kids a chance to focus on the curriculum. To allow Willow to take a breath from the turbulent social waters of Jr. High and become independent and confident in herself without being needlessly torn down and for Connor to take a break from the stress of keeping up with others whose motor skills have outpaced his own. By the time he goes back I hope to have him pretty much moving at a good and comfortable writing speed. Though that will mean some dedicated practice over the summer months. Time to start looking into Uniforms!
That's the ism. Now to address the schism.
The landlord is none to thrilled that I have more people living here and did not mention it sooner. I will admit that I was short sighted in mentioning it to him but.. If I got pregnant in this home with triplets.. hes not the first person Id call... and its not that different of a boat... unexpected growth of a family unit. Anyway, he has kicked them out and so they are currently couch hopping with the neighbors and others and shelters while we get things settled and home regulations with the home association regarding the number of people in a home are addressed. I know I have been looking.. feelers out.. for another home to move into. But the truth is that Id rather not have to move, especially with the kids getting into this school. And the hassle. Who likes to move? I can't recall if I mentioned it but it looks as though buying a house is out. The foreclosure being what it was. Still to soon. So I have had an eye on rentals. Not a whole lot out there but some maneuverability can be found with regards to it. When I talked to the land lord I also asked him if he would consider lowering the rent. I did this before knowing that the additional people was going to be such a thorn in his side. He recently refinanced (or attempted to) and when he called five months ago to say that the appraiser would be by. I asked him then if he got it re-fied if he would consider dropping the rent some. He said he would take it into consideration. I had not talked to him since. My bringing it up again along with the new roommates really made him see red and he told me that if the homeowners research bared out where the additional people were not an issue, that he would probably raise the rent.
Anyway.. I don't know what is going to happen in the next little while. All we can do is see how the pins fall.
In other news, the engine in the car greg traded for the motorcycle is completely destroyed. Now to figure out how to contend with that as well. ugghh.
I know it all sounds like lots of chaos and drama.. and to some extent it is.. but I recognize all of these things are but mole hills and I know we can and will navigate them without taking on any major water. We can contend with these challenges. They are minor all things considered.
Thursday, April 4, 2013
I've got good music on my radio
The house is quiet but for the hum of the fridge and the swish of the washing machine. Greg off holed up in a snowy hotel and conference center in Essex, Verrmont.
The rest of the house asleep. Gin and tonic course through my veins. A rare pleasure.. reminds me of a hot summer and the dream of cool breezes carrying the scent of juniper and pine. Things continue to bloom and spring has me diving into all sorts of dark corners. Cleaning out cobwebs and organizing clutter (this week I have tackled the kitchen pantry and fridge, the budget, my bedroom closet). The action carries over not only in the physical but also in the mental realms as well as I take stock of where I am and comparing it to where I wanted to be now when I dreamt 5 years ago. I didn’t fall to far from the mark. Pretty damn dead on if you ask me.. But that doesn’t mean this bushy leafy life of mine doesn’t need a little pruning and clipping to maximize its health and vitality. With that in mind and the knowledge that in just a matter of time we should be transplanting somewhere else inland (Cost space considerations being taken well into account and all options ..few as they are.. are being weighed), I have put in my resignation to Surfrider. Two years of dedicated work and commitment is enough. I can’t continue to juggle that work and everything else. When I retire, I can be the most awesomest volunteer ever! But for now my attention is divided and my children will always win. If I had the time... But I don’t.. and so I must say farwell. I have told the chapter that I will remain on through May in order to finish off some duties and transfer responsibilities. Knowing that my job is finally wrapping up has come as something of a relief. I was never looking for a not paid full time job. Not that I spend THAT much time a day on the organization, but it would have to be if I wanted to carry out my duties to fullest. Anyway.. moving on to champion other things. What those things will be?! ... Time to dream up the next 5 year plan.
Easter/Ostara
A trip to the fish market on the wharf... sky is grey... and there isn't any swell.. but..
Fresh and local King Crab and calamari for dinner...
Easter Baskets and candy...
Died eggs and had a hunt...
followed by a fantastic feast.
I would call it an almost perfect day. (I do like my days warmer you know.)
Fresh and local King Crab and calamari for dinner...
Easter Baskets and candy...
An ”Immerse yourself in Spring and the awakening world around you” walk with Mrs. Vicci...
Died eggs and had a hunt...
followed by a fantastic feast.
I would call it an almost perfect day. (I do like my days warmer you know.)
April Fools
Sand City Silliness?? Yes that carton says 07 and yes it was that rotten. x2 containers. The store didn't even care!
and the closet cleaning came to a SCREETCHing halt
when I stumbled upon a jem of a collectors item. Or maybe its not a collectors item... Im not sure. I looked it up to see and I found this description of the Save by the bell board game (it is still in its original packaging) http://www.x-entertainment.com/messages/368.html reading this almost makes we want to break it open. I know I could win a date with Zack!!
Ummm... so now the question.. now that I have found it.. do I keep it?
Kapow!!
Would you like window dressing with that chow?
So someone asked me about what I really thought about the cheese cake factory... having glanced over it last time I wrote.. well... hmmm... it was as good a Chilli's dressing up to go to the mall. A large selection of mediocre food wrapped up in fancy atmosphere. Look the walls and lighting are pretty.. Im so distracted I don't stop to think about what uninspired food I am really eating. But there is cheesecake. A rare indulgence. And the cheesecake is goooood... but... In reality, we can make our own damn cheesecake! Service? Again mediocre. They spilled the appetizer in Gregs lap but they took care to bring another without charge. Otherwise the restaurant was super jumping and perfunctory attention was all that we received. Again.. a run of the mill experience. Anyway.. I suppose that I could excuse the blandness of this restaurant if I had have been able to enjoy the company I was keeping. If I am out with wonderful people with whom I am capable of conversing... the quality of the meal and service can be poor and I might not even notice.. gorging on ideas leaving my mind full of higher thoughts. eh.. who cares that the food tastes like cardboard! Not so at the cheesecake factory. The din and drone of the other diners effectively made speaking, with any sort of deliberateness, a chore and a challenge. I don't like it when I have to raise my voice. Anyway.. tell us how you really feel.. umm... yep. so there you have it. Cheesecake factory.. Not super stoked at the idea of ever going back.
Catching a Breath of Air
I took Connor in for a follow up at the Asthma and Allergy clinic. The new inhaler has improved his general lung functioning. We are now working our way through the insurance to see about getting him allergy shots. Well.. that brings me to the end.. of everything that comes to mind... in the matter of time.. that I set aside to write all this. Which actually amounts to three nights. P.S I did not drink gin every night... sometimes... there was wine. Anyway.. a quick congrats to the roomy for quitting smoking, a quick congrats to the kids for jobs well done in school and being awesome little people, to hummingbird for such a big turn around in effort this quarter at school. See.... Hard work does pay off. Look at those grades improve! And since Im sharing strokes.. To Greg for just being awesome.
Oh and one last sound byte... those Craigs List Personals..... All I can do is Chudder (Chuckle/shudder) at the thought. Enough said. Enjoy your day!
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