Trip details

That was a rough week. We left town on Thursday afternoon, 4:30 ish maybe for Issaquah. It was a pretty rough ride. I need to invest in some how-to-spend-time-in-the-car-without-going-crazy-books. The kids were rotten, I was tired, it was a bad combination.

Issaquah was so nice. The weather was mild, you know 70's instead of 100's, the folks were great. We were staying one night with them, then an adult night in Seattle for us and then one last night with them. It was very nice. The adult time in Seattle was good. We stayed with some friends at the Seattle Hilton downtown which was nice. We ate at a yummy Indian restaurant, shopped, had dinner at a good seafood place (unfortunately they hadn't prepared the lobster recently, I ended up sick in the morning) and did the market the next day. It was a lot to squeeze into 24 hours, but we did it.

Back in Issaquah, we visited stayed one more night and then came home Sunday. Another rough ride. I really, really need to find/make/research car games. We travel often enough that it would be time and money well spent. It really wasn't as hard with one kid. For some reason it really sucks with two. No wonder my immediate family never traveled - there were 4 kids, and back then we didn't have to be restrained either, we could crawl all over the back seat and beat on each other.

Interesting note: my 21 year old step-brother is living there for the next month before school starts. He had a couple friends spend the night - a boy and a girl - on Saturday. Now, call me old fashioned but what kind of an example is that setting for a 15 year old? A 15 year old that just spent the weekend with her boyfriend and his family in Oregon. I guess, well. I shouldn't judge that's what I guess. I'm just jealous. I couldn't even go with friends to concerts when I was 15.

couldnt even get a post done

This week didn't get any better. I was scheduled to work 2-12 hour shifts, well that turned into 4. IN A ROW. Then I worked my regular 10 hour shift until 11:00 and came back at 5am for a 2 hour overtime shift. I am so so so tired. Hitting a wall.

** update: I hit the wall, couldn't even finish the post. **

Week from Hell

Let me tell you a little about the saga that is my life the past few days.

Back to work Monday was THE WORST. We had a computer upgrade ... yeah, it didn't go so well. I walked in after being gone for 10 days without knowing. Just let me say it sucked ass. Literally, I didn't know how to do my job. It was a hellacious 12 hour shift.

Ready to crash at 1am, I go home, go to bed. 4:00 am (yeah, less than 3 hours after I went to bed) Punkin Head wakes up. For nearly TWO HOURS. Pretty much I think life sucks at this point. My Honey got up with her and I tried to sleep for a few more hours.

Tuesday things weren't much better at work. Just a bad atmosphere. The upgrade hasn't been so slick. The program has a lot of flaws for dispatch. Exhausted after another 12 hour shift, I crash and burn at around 1:30 am. Guess what? Yeah, she woke at 4:00 again. I am so tired today that I don't even remember how long she was awake, it might have only been 30 minutes. Either way it totally screwed up my sleep. Not only that, I had THE WORST call of my career. I take that back, it wasn't the worst call, it was the worst circumstances for my responders I have EVER dealt with. Hurt men on the lose with guns. The suspects ended up flagging down the aid crew that was on the way to standby at the house where the homeowner had shot an intruder. That is the most stressed I have ever been about responder safety EVER. I was physically ill. It all worked out, the bad guys are in jail and the homeowner is not injured. But can you imagine? The other sucky thing about this call is it was a minimum of a 45 minute response by law enforcement. His house is in BFE. It is by far one of the longest, and THE most stressful call I have ever handled. (On the bright side a nice letter went into my file about how well I handled it. The third such letter this month - yeah, you know it. I rock.)

And then (yes there's more) my MIL (babysitter) called yesterday at around 11 to ask if I could arrange for someone to watch the kids for awhile, she needed to see the dermatologist and they had an appointment at 11:30, she didn't know if she would be at my house in time for me to be on time for work. This rarely happens, so I am nto angry plus Wednesdays are our heavy staff day, so I was able to call out for a couple hours - which was nice. I got off at 11 pm (after only working 8 hours!!!) thinking I would get 2 extra hours of sleep. HAHAHAHA. The joke was on me. Punkin Head was awake when I got home. We hung out for a bit, I tried to feed her thinking she might be hungry and then I put her back down. She played in the dark until 1am when I finally went in and told her to go to sleep. No more playing (or something like that). Finally she complied and I got around 5 hours of sleep in a row. But I am toast today. Lucky for me I have an extra kid around! Bubba and his cousin are playing nicely outside and I have a few minutes to myself. Not long, they will be in soon to ask to swim.

So that's the week from hell. OH, and during all this, I am taking Bubba to swim lessons every morning and Punkin Head to a parent tot class twice. Crazy I tell you. Crazy.

Doolz

Punkin Head has a new favorite thing "doolz".


I spent a couple bucks at yardsales and acquired a dress-up box of stuff from Auntie D and Punkin Head is in heaven with her doolz.



And, yes, finally she is walking. It's not 100% of the time but at least she is doing it.

And talking. Oh my. My Honey, Punkin Head and I were sitting on the couch today while he ate breakfast. Down the stairs came Bubba. "derz eewee" she says pointing at him. (translation "theres Harry"). She's putting a lot of stuff together. She wants to sit at the table like a big kid, she wants to play with play-dough like a big kid, she wants everything her brother wants. Not suprising, just exhausting.

Garden pics part II

This was one of the (few) hours I spent away from home.

Note to self

Dear Self,

Next time you "don't go anywhere" for vacation, plan to go SOMEWHERE.
You need to get out of town for a night (or two) to rejuvenate.
A few hours here and there just doesn't do it. Especially when you spend a small part of each day doing dishes, laundry, cleaning, watching the kids and shit like that.
Don't be angry this time, you didn't know better. But next time, plan something. (Yes, I am talking about Labor Day).

Thanks, you wont regret it.
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Obviously not a perfect vacation, but at least I didn't have to work. To all the stay-at-home-moms out there, who do this every day, every month for years on end - I honestly salute you. I don't have what it takes.

(Special thanks to the Dear Friend who was there on my worst day this past week when only cuss words came out about my effing vacation, you're my SAHM hero). She even made a trip across town to our house with a special gift for me. Thanks.

Family Time

So they all came over. What a handsome group of kids. They had squirt gun fights that were a blast. Everyone involved (including me) ended up quite wet. Even Punkin Head. The boy in yellow is my nephew, he's not running because he is afraid, he is just done. He had a pretty big day. We all did.

It did make my day to have the whole family over for dinner. My mom, aunt, sisters and all the kids. Too fun. If the weather holds, we get to go to the Lake tomorrow. Cross your fingers.

Showers

So much for my Wednesday plans. We, well I, woke to thunder around 2 am, and at 4, again at 5 and then for the day at 7:30 and it finally quit raining about 11:30. The sun was peeking through, but it didn't make me too excited to go to the Lake. At all. So I cancelled. My sister totally understands, plus there is a worker at the condo and her in-laws are there. So with the crappy weather, naps and all that, I just decided screw it.

So she is coming down here. That will work out nicely. She can visit everyone that way.

Mocha Girl

We went across town today for swim lessons. On the way I NEEDED a latte. (Bad morning). At the latte shop Bubba tells me that the mocha girl is "more beautiful than you" and that he wants to tell her so, will I roll down the window?

Now, understand, this is cute and all but my only son, my first born, my Bubba has just told me that someone is more beautiful than ME. I admit I had a little inner conflict. How do I feel about my 5 year old telling a mocha girl he thinks she is beautiful? How do I feel about him telling me he thinks she is more beautiful than I am? Who else will he think is (more) beautiful than me? Whats so beautiful about HER? Yeah, a little conflicted. In the end I rolled down the window. She was touched, she thought it was cute, and it probably made her day. Imagine a 5 year old telling you in a shy-5-year-old-kind-of-way that he thinks you're beautiful. It was worth it. (Kind of. Still a little conflicted)

Random vacation notes

So I am sitting on the boat (yesterday). You read that right. I took the laptop out on the boat. Why you ask? Because I am boat-sitting, not boating. The trailer is broken so My Honey has it at home while I boat sit at the park. It’s nice though, being on the boat. Silly me, there isn't any wireless access out here though. Duh.

Our trip to Issaquah was un-eventful save for the teenage-ness. Either I have totally forgotten what being a teen is or my youngest sister is just a disrespectful little wench. My Honey describes it this way, “it’s allowed, so she acts that way.” She was fine at our house last week, cooperative and very few snotty remarks (which were expected). I returned her a brat. I felt bad until I realized that is how she always treats her parents. Oh no you dint. Not in my house. Not while I pay for all your expenses including your text-messaging, talk till late, stupid cell phone. No way. I am just furious with her. What a shit. Was I that bad? I really don’t think so, my mother would have sent me packing. Seriously.

The kids actually stayed an extra night in Issaquah, we are going to exchange them this afternoon, and My Honey and I went out last night. I found a new favorite drink, Irish Whiskey, straight up. Mmmmmmm it was good.

While my dad and his wife were here I wanted to do something for them. His wife was easy, I scheduled a massage. She was in heaven. My dad was a little more difficult. I ended up taking him to work with me for a few hours. I think he liked it. He is a total techie kind of person. He sells computer programs and trains people how to use them. So he watched and listened as I dispatched. Yeah, I think I done well.
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While the kids and I were away, My Honey demo'd the downstairs bathroom!! Yay! New shower coming. Now I need to find a book on tile designs. Or a website....

The trailer got fixed, now we can boat and not have to worry about the boards on the trailer being rotten, breaking off, damaging the boat. I guess that's what happens after 13 or 14 years.

Finally, tomorrow (Tuesday) is our anniversary. 15 years. We are so old.

Vacation

Here we are in Issaquah. Its been kind of nice to escape the heat. Did I mention the heat? It was 110 degrees on Tuesday at 5pm. For the fourth or fifth day in a row. When we left yesterday at around 11:00 it was already 94 degrees. We got to Issaquah and it was in the 70's. Its pretty refreshing but I cant wait to get home where its hot and I can lay by he pool and relax.

Its kind of nice to have nothing to do for vacation. When my return-to-town plans changed, it was no big deal. Grandma & Grandpa want to keep the kids Saturday night in Issaquah and then exchange them half-way on Sunday - BONUS an extra kid-free-day.

I'm sure I have more to say, I always do, but I'm done for now.

Sunscreen & Chlorine

That word, "chlorine" doesn't look right. But spellcheck says it is so it must be.

That's the past week summed up. Everyone has enjoyed the pool this past 100 degree week. My tan self included. When I am not working that is.

I happened to be at work when the first huge fire of the season started this weekend. No kidding, we probably handled 50-80 calls each in a 20 minute span when this thing took off. The whole north end of my fair city is toasted. Black, black, black. There are some great aerial shots at the (only) local newspaper website. I just hope the dumb ass that started the fire with his fireworks gets ticketed (at the very least). Who plays with fireworks in a dry field on a windy day???????

I say "first huge fire" because we live in an area where fires are the norm this time of year. The fire departments have a whole plan for it, but its always a bit of a learning curve when the first one actually takes off. And its usually in a forested area, not a rural area. Thank goodness, there hasn't been any loss of homes or injuries that I am aware of. There were several hundred evacuations on Saturday night and into Sunday, but the wind has pushed it away from the residential areas.

More later, have to run to work.

Changed

Well, Bubba came back from Portland a little more .... grown up.

Its kind of strange, he seems a lot more independent since he came home. From that first day of playing in his room alone to sleeping ON THE TOP BUNK to his "aura" he is just a little more grown up. All of a sudden he seems like a big kid, not a small child anymore.

We went for a walk the other morning that passed his new school. As we were talking and passing by he all of a sudden exclaims he has a tummy ache. Curious, he was fine when we left. So I ask him if he might be nervous about going to school, and is that causing his tummy ache? Maybe he says. So we spend a little time talking about it. He was nervous about making friends. So I reminded him of his first days of preschool and how he made friends there. Later that day we had a new babysitter. Bubba had never met her and they hit it off right away. They were chatting it up, becoming fast friends (quite honestly, this happens for him very easily, making friends is the last thing I am worried about when it comes to school). Just before I left for work I noticed a teachable moment.

"Hey," I said looking from him to the babysitter. "What just happened here?"
"I dunno" he replied.
"You made a new friend." I told him. He pondered it a moment and then agreed with a grin that he did. So I told him that's how it would be at school too. That he won't have any trouble at all making new friends.

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Work has been hellacious. Busy and lots of overtime. At least the 12 hour shifts are going by pretty fast. It sucks that they are such the norm and a 10 hour day feels like a short day. And then there's the crap too. I notice myself being sucked in, being a part of the problem. I need to turn it around before it becomes my obsession.

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My dad and his wife and Little D are coming over tomorrow. I really shouldn't be sitting here posting anything, I need to vacuum, sweep, change the guest bed, put away laundry (that is sitting on the guest bed) straighten up the living room, family room, run a cloth through the bathrooms, and do the dishes before I go to work at 1. Seems like maybe I should have kept my Girl Thursday for the summer after all. Maybe I will call her, shoot with all this overtime I should spend it somewhere right? The challenge was leaving he an empty house. Oh yeah, that's right.

Stars

Bubba is home. All morning he has been telling tales of Portland. The Children's Museum, the Zoo, and some other place. At one of their stops there was an IMAX theater. He watched two shows, The Human Body, one of his favorite subjects and the other was about the stars. I was asking him what they said about the stars and he tells me he learned about the "star constipation".

It still brings tears to my eyes to think of it. I will get a lot of mileage out of that one today and for many months to come. Star constipation instead of constellation. Cute!!

He and grandpa had a good time on the train, which he describes this way "it was 3 times as big as our house," and "if I stand on the top bunk of my bunk bed and touch the ceiling, I am still not as big as the train." So darling.

And the bunk bed. What a hit! He has already spent a lot of time on the top bunk. We had to go buy a guard rail for it, not sure where the original is, so now he can actually sleep up there.

It was great to find him in his room, playing on his bed today. In 5 1/2 years that has NEVER happened. Thank goodness for the bunk bed. (Well until someone falls and hurts themselves.)

Bubba has been gone a week. He and grandpa are coming home on the train on Sunday or Monday. What fun. They are peas in a pod, they should have a great train ride just talking about boy things.

And still no baby. Poor SIL. Her actual due date isn't for a week or so but she is feeling so done. That's the way it goes. Babies have their own time table from the time you are making them until much, much later in life.

Speaking of which, still no actual walking out of Punkin Head. Maybe my Dad and his wife visiting will encourage her? They are due next Thursday and will stay until Sunday, then my sister (D) who is 15 will stay another week (give or take) with us. Me and the kids will return her sometime after the 12th because then I am on vacation FOR TEN DAYS. No work for 10 days. I am looking forward to it.

We have plans for a BBQ and my other sister (L) is going to be in Chelan so we will have all the kids out there for a few days and who knows what else. Hopefully the weather will turn summer again, for the past few days its been not-so-warm.

buzz buzz buzz

Here you go.

Buzzing bees and things.

What the?

I was driving home from my photo experiment yesterday and noticed this. I sat at the light wondering what these men were doing outside the laundry. Then I realized what it might have been - they're WATCHING their women do laundry. Bastards. They could at least go in and help fold right? Typical in my household too. I do the laundry while My Honey watches golf.

At least I had the camera to get a shot. Can you tell that all the men are leaning into the glass, looking in at what ever is going on inside? Maybe it was naked woman laundry day, I don't know.

NEW

I am not sure how this will work, but here goes

http://www.scrapblog.com/55A07D3B-5150/59C89089-C7DE

Raspberries

Raspberries are what got this whole thing started. Today I was playing with a setting on my camera that will just capture one color.

Do Lilly pads bloom? That white and pink thing was growing in the pond.

How about the bee?? I was totally impressed with myself.

These were some pretty something or other. Anyone? I need to sit down with her and find out what varieties of things I have here so I don't sound like the dork I am.

New favorite

I found a new favorite place to take pictures. The nice thing is its in town so I can go there any time. What do you think??

Its a co-workers yard and garden. I spent about an hour there today just taking in the colors and taking copious photos (like 180).

But for some reason I can only post one photo so there you are. This is on her patio, the fence in the background goes into her garden area which is delightful. She has 6 or 8 raised beds that are full of great stuff. She also has a pond with a ton of full sun plants and a shaded area with full shade plants. It is a great place to check out a many different varieties. I had a blast. Me and the camera. I think I should name it....

Fragile, handle with care

Well, they're off. Grandma picked Bubba up an hour ago and they're headed to Portland. It sure is quiet around here already. Punkin Head didn't sleep well last night so she is already down for a nap, My Honey is at work so its just me for another hour or so.

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There's this gal that I knew when I worked at the YMCA. She was definitely a lost soul. Didn't really seem all there all the time, her significant other took pretty good care of her, but she wasn't one I thought would be good on her own. I didn't know it it was mental illness, drugs, alcohol or all of the above.

I'll call her Vee. We didn't really become "friends" but we got to know one another a little over a couple of years of her coming in regularly with her son and significant other. She was one of those people I knew had suffered some kind of trauma, I just don't know what kind.

Anyway, she quit coming in, I went to work for the police department. The only way we stayed in touch was that she was a police "regular". (Turned out to be all of the above).

She went missing almost a month ago. She was located yesterday. I am not shocked at the circumstances, I had the feeling she would be located not return, if you know what I mean. But I am still a little saddened.

Vee is the third person (its always in 3's right?) that had some kind of impact on my life that has died in some tragic way in the past 7 months. First Jen, my yogi, was killed in a car accident, then my high school friend Kelly committed suicide, now Vee. So I guess I am just not sure what to make of it all. Part of me realizes its just a phase where people are dying, phases like this happen. Another part goes who's next and yet another part wants to move toward a deeper spirituality to find meaning in it all - if that makes any sense.

I guess I want to explore the "impact on my life" part. Kelly was a deviant really. Very nice guy but into drugs, probably a little deeper than I realized at the time, although I knew he was using back then. As far as impact? Well, maybe I am one of his "5 people you meet in heaven" (after a suicide, well that's a philosophical debate for another time) I dunno. I'm not even sure what I am trying to say. Guess I better sit with it awhile longer, see what comes out.

I wonder if there will be a memorial service for Vee? I am acquainted with her sister, I wonder if she would like to see a familiar face there?

In the mean time I am quite fragile.

School's out

School's out for summer!!! Bubba gets to go on a trip with Grandma to Portland for a week or two. Grandma is heading down to help my SIL before the new baby comes. So it will just be me and Punkin Head for several days or maybe even a couple weeks starting Thursday!

My dad and his wife are coming to visit after the 4th for a few days which will be fun! They are going to leave my 15 year old sister and I will return her when I go on vacation around the 12th. Hopefully the weather will be nicer and we can visit fun places like the water park, maybe even take out the boat (novel idea, it hasn't been out in two years). It should be a great couple weeks between now and the 4th. New baby on the way (a niece), oldest kid out of town for a few days, then grandparents coming into town. Then it will be time for vacation and our 15th anniversary and maybe "Cousin Camp".

My sister is coordinating a Cousin Camp in July where we are trying to get the 4 cousins (on my side of the family) together for some overnight fun in Bremerton complete with a cook out, s'mores, tie-dye t-shirts, field trips to the zoo and water parks arts and crafts. Don't you want to be 2-6 years old again? So by the end of July we should be tuckered out! Ready to coast through August and then back to school.

Jeez, will the summer really go that fast? I hope not, I want to enjoy some of it!

Refreshing

Here is where I will spend every sunny day for the next 12 weeks or so. Ahhhh. Not quite as big as the one I grew up with, but this one was something like $30,000 less so I guess I will make due! The really great thing is that we were able to set it up in an area that is off the grass and out of the way so we don't have to look it at it all the time. Its just right for now.

Training

I am in a "Situational Leadership" class this week.

No, I didn't re-apply for a supervisor job (although there were 2 openings posted recently) I am going as a trainer, and to develop myself.

It had actually been very good. Kind of intense for me. It has given me words for my shortcomings. Words, but not solutions. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to take a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants person and teach her how to pre-plan? If stuff mostly gets done anyway, whats the point?

How to take a functionally disorganized person and help them to put order to the things that need to get done? Re-direct me, give me the website, the book, the tools to learn these skills. I am a great coach, its the directing stuff, the breaking something apart to explain it ... any way.

Its kind of like sewing a dress. I can take a pattern, measure out the fabric, cut it out, get all the pieces there, but the actual assembly of the project - sometimes I just lose interest by then. Or I get part way through and go "this isn't fun anymore." Certainly I know what has to be done, I can see what the end is going to look like but somewhere I just lose motivation.

So it has been a good class. Now for the application. How will it look in my life next month? Like another book on the shelf? Maybe. I hope not.

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Punkin Head is nearly walking! WHEW!! She is over 18 months old now. Its pretty cute. She is standing on her own, actually standing herself up in the middle of the room and building the confidence to get herself going. It's fun. Maybe she can teach me about taking steps, follow through, motivation?

Memorial Day

Over Memorial day weekend Bubba and I talked about what it is ... That is to say with my limited understanding, I told him it is to honor service men and women who have died fighting wars.

We talked about cemeteries, funerals and a few other things related to dying. He is familiar with funerals, he attends funeral dinners with Grandma because she coordinates them for her church and sometimes he tags along because I am at work, so the idea isn't foreign or scary to him.

Anyway, we are at a local park today for the farmers market (mmm fresh snap peas) where there is a rock with a memorial on it dedicated to a woman who had a vision for a parks system to run along the river. I asked him not to play on the rock, I really don't know if its okay (proper) and he asked why so I told him it was a memorial. "Oh, did someone die?" I told him yes and started to read the memorial to him. He stood there, took off his hat and listened. It was quite touching to me. That all these things I tell him actually take hold and his actions reflect that he REALLY DOES HEAR ME. Thank goodness because I am just about hoarse from all the yelling this past week.

In other news, another one bites the dust at work. We are so short staffed now. One trainee didn't make it through the most recent academy, we have someone leaving in two weeks, one of our gals had a stroke last week (no shit! she is in pretty good shape, but will be out at least a month) and to top it off, the most recent "she's no longer with us" memo. Sounds like a long summer full of 12 hour shifts. UGH. Oh well, cha-ching. That's probably the only thing that will get me through.

I will say this: I so made the right choice stepping down from the supervisor group. I am not sure I would have agreed with this most recent situation, but I wasn't asked either. And its "nun-ya" anyway. Totally an admin decision, and thankfully I don't have to defend it.

5 Reasons

Five reasons why I blog about the things on my blog courtesy of LSL (thanks, doll)

5. I thought if I blogged about stuff I would quit boring people with talking.
4. I was wrong.
3. Sometimes I just need to think out loud.
2. Originally it was for extended family.
1. I don't think any of them are reading.

The rules tell me to tag 5 people. Since I already broke the rules by not having 5 reasons, no tags today (goes with my rebellious side)

In other news: I am getting so tan.
Yesterday in Chelan started my obnoxious, "have to be the tannest"quest. My sister was tanner than me and it made me so jealous. I'll fix her. So I read in the sun today during lunch and then took the kids to the park after school. Watch out!

What did you miss?

Starting with yesterday:

"Good times" in Chelan. Oh yes, the Lake beckoned and we answered. My sister was at her in-laws condo and so were we. Beautiful weather, comfortable pool, lotsa food, lotsa Mike's Hard something or other and cousins. All 4 of them were together, and they did pretty well. Turns out my son is kind of a brat. He hits a little more than I think is okay and we need to work on this. I don't observe him playing very often so I had no idea. Although I am pretty sure that the school would tell me if it were a problem. It might have been more an excited thing, being there with the cousins and all. Trying to share, toys, attention, that kind of thing.

I say "good times" because the other day we were driving somewhere and I hear my son say "good times Mom, good times" out of nowhere in the back seat. Funny stuff to me because a couple people use that phrase at work when things are out of control and I KNOW I didn't bring that one home with me. So I ask him where he heard that ... TV. Of course.

Sunday, Saturday and Friday - work, work, work. And it was busy, busy, busy. Friday night I was dispatching fire and EMS and I was pretty sure I would need a book to pass the time. Boy was I wrong. Not only was I busy, I was super busy. So busy that the fire folks (chiefs, firemen and EMS personnel) I talked to the next day even commented how busy it had been. Its must have been busy for them to notice.

The rest of last week? Uneventful. I don't remember anything major, I have a couple Bubba stories, but for the life of me I cant think of a single one right now. Punkin Head is practicing her standing alone. And she can finally walk behind her push toy she got for Christmas. All these are good things. She just might walk before she is 2 years old after all.

Practice

Here is part of my class assignment. We were supposed to practice shifting the focus from the subject near us to the subject behind that. So here is Punkin Head's shoulder or the grass. The grass picture came out a little light, but I have the idea. I actually have several more pictures, Punkin Head and I spend an hour at the park having lunch one day after we dropped Bubba off at school. It was a really nice way to spend a little time with her.

(Unlike the time we spent together last night, oh wait that was THIS MORNING. She was awake from 11pm until after 3am. So much for sleeping through the night. I have no idea where we, make that I, went wrong last night.)

Great news

I have been worrying off and on about Kindergarten. Where to send Bubba. Private or public school. We had mostly decided that private school might be an unreasonable expense since one of us felt that both kids should eventually attend the same school (not me). So I was pondering the district we reside and trying to figure out how to know what to do (read: trying to get my way).

At Bible Study Wednesday morning, one of my friends announced her brother-in-law is going to be the principal at that school. The best thing is that I went to school with said BIL and he is great! He has excellent leadership skills, is very even tempered and I think he is someone I could talk to if there is an issue. Yay for us. Plus Bubba gets to go to school with his Best Buddy. So the big project next week is getting the registration paperwork filled out.

I found a listing for a job with the school district. . .
Pays pretty well, but not quite what I make now. BUT Summers off. Day time hours, every weekend off, holidays off. Christmas break off, Thanksgiving off. Thinking about applying. Maybe I could teach an aerobics class or two a week to make up for it? Maybe I could spend less. (Are you kidding me??) Do I really want a new job? How DO I want to spend the next bit of my working years? How many dammed years to I have left to work? 15, 20? Just thinking about it.
** update: apparently I'm not looking for a new job. This turned into a really unpleasant evening discussion. ** (Or maybe I just didn't get my way. Jeez, I can be a brat.)

Learning

I went to a photography workshop last night. The things I need to learn and practice. I now know how my pictures could have turned out better using the M, Av and Tv modes on my camera to adjust shutter speed and aperture. Very cool. The workshop is actually 2 Monday nights, we have a project to complete for next week (aka homework). I am actually excited to do it. I just need some time and a still life to photograph.

I must say, My Honey sure did pick a good one when he bought our camera. Its a Cannon Power Shot s3 IS. Its very easy to use, but has all kinds of great features too.

(The first picture is a little tiny flower growing on the trail to the bridge at Deception Pass, the second one is some kind of flowers near the pond at Greenbank Farms)

Deception Pass

Simon Park

Simon Park at Langley, WA

A bit of a sunny day. Everything looked like it was eating something.

Couldn't wait

painted planter box on a staircase leading to an upstairs apartment! Clever.
Langley, WA

my new babies

Greenbank Farms, WA

on my walk to Greenbank Farms

Greenbank, WA

reminded me of a Pirate Ship

Langley, WA

random yellow flowers growing from an old piling on the beach

Langley, WA

Hope you enjoy! I was working on FOCUS.

These are completely unedited. Any suggestions?

Cottagae

THAT was exactly what I needed.

The Cottage was great, the area was nice and the weather ... WOW. We had two spectacular days including this one at Ebey Landing. It was only 65 degrees there, but it was warm enough to make the sand steam and the birds want to get out and play. We had great low tide everywhere we went. *sigh* I totally enjoyed Whidbey Island. We checked it out from bow to stern, port to starboard. It was great.

We were within walking distance to Greenbank Farms so I took the walk with camera in hand. It was a great day for getting pictures of things. Plants, animals and a few birds. I swear they were teasing me, the birds. I don't know what they were, black things with red on their wings, at the "shoulder" not the tip and I just HAD to have a picture. So I waited and I waited and I think I did alright. There were those birds, deer, rabbits, seagulls, loons or cranes, I don't know which, and we saw whales! And could hear them blow their spout. "pshshshshtt" It was so very cool. Other animals included geese and a flock of goslings, they were too cute, swans, pigeons, you know. And of course on the beach the clams, mussels, crabs, stuff like that. It was great. More later, I want to post a few (dozen) pictures, because I only took 200. Yeah, I might have gone a little overboard.

We got home and it is, well the high today was at least 90. I can't even believe it. I love it. Summer is by far my favorite season. The hot weather, sunshine, unlimited opportunities. Bring it on! Now if I only had a babysitter this summer... Anyone?

More

I worked an overtime shift today and we had some calls of note that I reviewed. 3 of them were attempted suicide and two were stabbings. From a Monday! Its times like these when I wonder how I stand it. Do I really belong in Dispatch?

How do I walk into a place where we talk about things like suicide and perverts as a part of our regular conversation. "Hey, did you see the suicide call? How about that perv arrested at the park?" Then I go home, and act like nothing happened? What makes me the kind of person who isn't totally bombarded by those calls emotionally and spiritually? What keeps me from being like them (the ones we deal with)?

So here we go into the busy season. Best not to dwell on it too much or it will be too much.

Two stories

Story one:
(I had to wait and see if this one would be published or not, since it was, here we go)
Ronald McDonald was assaulted at the Fat Fest in the Park during Kids Day Sunday!
Not entirely funny, but it was. Apparently on a dare some kid ripped his wig off. They wanted to arrest the kid but Ronald McDonald wouldn't give his real name so the kids got off. (No victim, no crime.) We are a sick group of individuals in Dispatch. The general comment about Ronald was that he must be a sex offender or has warrants for his arrest so he didn't give his name. It was the best story of Sunday.

Story two:
The best arrest of Saturday goes to: Well, this one hasn't been published yet, but let me just say to the men and boys: don't stand around Triangle Park with your hands jiggling in your pockets near the cheerleaders. They arrested that pervert too. Triangle Park is where all the groups converge before getting funneled down the street for the parade. Gross. Gross. Gross. I probably could have done without that knowledge, but since I had to know, so do you!

First Reader

My mom found this book First Reader by Phyllis Schlafly at the Goodwill. WHAT A STEAL. It's a $60 book! Sheesh, she paid a dollar. Maybe.

Anyway, I was searching Amazon and EBay for the workbook, no luck.

Its quite the book, takes kids through the paces of learning to read. By the time they make it through all 160 pages they have learned to read words like "completely, kangaroo, seventy, candidate and woodpecker".

I like how it is arranged, how it builds upon itself. Anyway, an Amazon search revealed a little more about the author (and what people think of her.) YIKES! Good thing I like to know for myself, I might not have given her a chance!

Apple Blossom "little weekend" was great! Can't wait to share a story or two. In fact there are exactly two I want to share and a bit of gossip (about me!) But it will have to wait until a more sober state. We are trying this new whisky... mmmmm. If I weren't so lazy, I might be an alcoholic. Truly. I LIKE the taste of most liquor. But once it is gone, its such a hassle to replace.

Awareness

Lately Bubba is cracking me up with his awareness of things.


For example, we were outside a few nights ago, he and his grandpa had made a ramp for him to ride his bike over. I asked him how it worked and he says to me (with just enough sass that I know it came from Nickelodeon) "Watch. And. Learn." (On second thought, I am sure the sass is hereditary. No teaching needed.)


Today he was rolling a ball down the banister of the stairway. I mentioned it was rolling pretty far once it hit the ground. "Yeah, its going to the chop shop."


"Whats a chop shop?" I asked him


"It's where you chop it up melt it down and turn it into something else." He got that from the movie Robots. I sure am glad I don't have to teach him this stuff, that TV and movies are educating my son.

And his sense of smell has improved. When we got to the fat fest in the park yesterday, he stopped, took a deep breath, and said something like "mmmmm, it smells goooood here." That's my boy, he knows the good smells!

Each day during the Festival there is entertainment at Memorial Park (home of the fat fest) during the lunch and dinner hours. Yesterday was the kick off to the Festival and the entertainment at lunch was awarding local kids "Chief For A Day."

Each law enforcement agency, including the Sheriff offices, Wildlife, State Patrol and Police departments recognize a grade school kid as Chief. It always a neat event that chokes me up. I don't know exactly how the kids are chosen, but they all have some kind of disability or terminal illness. Local law enforcement take them for a ride in their police cars with lights and sirens through town and then do a presentation at the park. Each Chief recognizes their little chief (or "jefe" for the Hispanic community) and shares a little about the kids with the crowd.

As the Judge was swearing-in the kids she says to them "Kids I want you all to raise your right hands." Bubba puts both hands out in front of him, picks his right hand and raised it with the kids. It was priceless.

For my justification: we did sit and read for 15 minutes once this week and as we speak he is practicing writing vowels (yes he does know them) in lower case 4 times each.

(Nearly) 100 things about me

My (nearly) 100

I must know for myself
I will go to the source of information if I feel it’s important
I don’t like to be told what to do
Or how to do it

I feel like I should explain things all the time
I am the best excuse maker

I am introspective
I am thoughtful
I can come up with advice for any occasion
I remember birthdays but seldom call or send a card
I used to remember special occasions and act on them once upon a time

I am initially quiet in a new group. Not because I am a snob, because I am observing
Once I get to know you, watch out!
I am resourceful

I enjoy religious stuff
Interestingly I have never found the need to question it (see #1)
I am sometimes judgmental
I hope I give everyone a fair chance
I find myself sometimes unable to express myself

Motherhood is the toughest job I have ever had
It is the most rewarding job I have ever had
It is both these things at the same time. A lot

I never did sports in school
I wanted to
I taught aerobics in my 20’s
I miss teaching aerobics
I miss being in shape
I trained for a triathlon
I broke my collarbone in a biking accident 6 weeks before the race
I would like to teach and train again

I am the oldest of 4
My youngest sister is 21 years younger than I am
She was born the year I got married
We celebrate 15 years this year

I am easily distracted
I start most stories with “So …”

Wow this is as hard as I thought it would be
I may have to come back to it later

I tend to obsess
About everything
I over think
Overanalyze
But seldom over react

I am fairly mechanically inclined
If I set my mind to it

I lack discipline
I don’t apply myself
I have heard these things since I was 5 years old
They are true

(I came back to this later)

I am a copy cat
But not given to peer pressure
If I like someone else’s idea I will try it on for myself and decide if I like it
I give credit where credit is due

(this is the third time I have tried to complete my 100)

I am easily entertained
I don’t care to go to movies, if we are going to send some time together, lets spend time TOGETHER

I love to eat out
Someone serving me, cleaning up, just making sure I am taken care of, bring it on!
I am polite and tip well

I don’t care to clean but I like things tidy
I have a girl that cleans for me

(fourth try)
I don’t think of myself as pretty, but I catch people looking at me often
Unless I am dressed frumpy
Then I get treated a lot different

Finding out about someone’s past trauma rarely surprises me
I seem to know things about people before they tell me
It is sometimes a burden, I can tell someone needs to talk but I don’t know how to draw them out

I am mostly insecure
I struggle with being to selfish
I know myself pretty well
I am open to self exploration to get to know me better

I have a lot of great ideas
I don’t know how to express them well or see them through

I am easily disappointed
I keep my expectations low
I learned this early in life

There you go. Thats nearly 100 things about me.
(It took me nearly 3 months)

Now, can anyone tell me how to put it in the side bar? Or in my profile?

Memories

We went to the park yesterday. What fun we had! It was at probably high 70's, clear blue sky, no wind. Ahhh. Both the kids soaked themselves in the river which might be 40 degrees right now. Bubba waded, well you can see how deep and played in the rocks with a little girl he met at the park. Punkin head decided she was not afraid of the water and crawled right on in. It was a funny experience for me. Bubba was this little fraidy cat of everything, and here was Punkin Head going balls to the wall to find out about it. They are so different!

We went to the play area after the water and I realized, for the second time this week, how far behind (physically) Punkin Head really is. Twice this week people have guessed her to be 8-10 months old because she still has a cute, fat baby face. Not to mention the lady who guessed her to be 10 months old had a kid born just days before Punkin Head who was running all over playing. (sigh.) I try not to worry, I really do, and I think I do a good job of not getting defensive about her, but alright, already . . .

So the best part of the park was that My Honey went with us. As I was getting ready to pick up Bubba from school, I almost called and invited him to come along but I thought that would be just mean "hey, wanna skip work and go to the park?" As if. On our way to school he called me to see what we were doing, I told him we were on the way to get Bubba. "Oh, I thought you might want to visit me at work." So I told him we could, but we were going to the park first, "do you want to come?" I teased, because the last thing he would do is leave work in the middle of the day. "Sure, I will be there at 3." And he was. It was a fun treat.

p.s. Happy 100th post to me. Its nice that Blogger tracks these things, I would never have known. To celebrate, I will finally post "nearly 100 things about me." Its been a work in progress. I think I only have 70-something.

That time of year again

Apple Blossom is here. I can't wait for the fat fest in the park, it starts Thursday. Its the greasiest food ever all in one place for 10 delicious days. Funnel cakes, elephant ears, corn dogs, Piroshky's, you name it, it will be here Thursday. Then the Kids Parade on Saturday. I asked Bubba a month back if he wanted to be in the parade. He told me no, he wanted to watch it. A few days later he told me he changed his mind he wanted to be in the parade, so I signed him up. A week or so after that we have the following conversation on our way to school:


B: Mom, I've been thinking
M: Yeah, Bubba, about what?
B: I've been thinking I don't want you to ride on the float with me.
M: (after I take a deep, deep breath and wipe away a tear) Really? So you want me to walk beside he float?
B: No Mom, I want to do it alone.
M: (nearly hyperventilating) Alright, you mean you want me to watch you go by? Not sit with you or walk along?
B: Yep.


AS IF. Little does he know I will be there every step of the way.
I know, I know, he's getting older, I should let him grow up. But not this year. He's still my Little Bubba. Maybe next year.

Its a wrap

The rest of the week was just as nice as Wednesday.
Friday a massage
Saturday's baby shower: good event. Not the great success I wanted it to be, but it was good. We had tried to get a masseuse hired to do a chair massage for everyone, and it didn't work out. But the rest of the thing was good.

• Here's an interesting side note of my life: I called 3 people to do the chair massage . . . I actually talked to them, in person, it wasn't like I left a message. All of them said they would get back to me, only one did. All of them are people I know and see on a regular basis, not just a business I called out of the blue. I get really bummed about myself when these things happen. And I kid you not, this kind of thing happens ALL THE TIME. It always has . . .

Sunday small group at our house.
I did kind of loose my mind on Sunday evening. I didn't eat the best lunch (cheese & popcorn with a diet coke chaser) and then gorged on the cheesecake brownies I baked for group. Yeah, that's not enough good calories for me. So I was a screaming, impatient mess. I stopped myself and counted to 10 many, many times.

(It's Monday now) I did remember to at a healthier lunch today; salad, ham & cheese sandwich. Hopefully I will have a better afternoon today. Maybe we will plant a garden. I have been toying with it. Radishes, lettuce, cucumbers. Like last year. Only this year will I actually work in it or not??

Have I mentioned that me and My Honey are leaving town for a long weekend in less than 2 weeks? I am so looking forward to it. 3 nights away. Me, Him, the beach and a one bedroom cottage. Could there be anything better? Not that I can think of. Well, okay, if it were at an exotic location with white sand and 90 degrees, that would be better. But I will take what I can get so, San Juan Islands it is.

Routine

Yesterday was a great day.

I made it out the door in time for Bible study. Had lunch in the park with a group of ladies after dropping Bubba off at pre-school, went to work (where I was bored, bored, bored) and then home to bed. It was nice to get back into a Wednesday routine.

Today I am working on the crepes for the baby shower Saturday, will take Bubba to pre-school, maybe eat in the park again because it was so nice yesterday, go to work where I will hopefully get to do something (Wednesdays we are dreadfully overstaffed) and then home. Not a bad day either.

At the Chiropractor office on Tuesday we read The Giving Tree in the waiting room. That book chokes me up every time. I think its fear. Fear that I will end up like the tree. Or the boy. I am not sure. Sometimes I feel like the tree: I wish that someone would just like me for me, not for what I can do for them. Sometimes I feel like the boy: Have I liked people for what they can do, not who they are? I think finding the balance is hard. (Yeah I am in kind of a deep place today.)

The're baaaack

So what did I get accomplished while the family was away? NOTHING
No laundry was washed, dried, or put away.
No dishes washed (not that there were any, I took my meals at work)
Nothing was picked up (again, nothing to pick up, it was just me)
No cleaning.
No nothing.
Best of all no guilt.

So I have spent the last two days cleaning up the whirlwind that is my family returning from a few days away. Someone sent a bag of doll stuff, we now have more Barbie in our house than I EVER had when I was a kid. Of course there was laundry, snacks to put away, and, oh yeah, I am supposed to assist with a baby shower Saturday. Which means I have food to prepare, gifts to purchase, games to come up with and lists to make. Lists and lists.

I do have one great story to tell about a midnight noise I heard in my house while they were gone, but I will need a few free minutes and no baby shower stuff bouncing inside my head.
Has anyone ever made a diaper cake before? I am going to give it my best try. Wish me luck.

Alone Sat pm

*sigh*
It's still very quiet at my house. The only noise right now is the refrigerator humming and the dog biting her nails. Yes, our dog bites her nails. Probably because we don't walk her. How inhumane I know. I am just not an animal lover, I tolerate them.

Theres a story: How We Got Our Dog.
I worked at the YMCA for several years. My boss was looking for a dog for her mother. She found one for free in the paper, had the owner bring her by the Y so she could take a look. The dog ended up being too big for her mom, she was looking for a "lap dog." But, for some reason, I thought the dog should go home with me. I called My Honey, asked him what he thought, and then brought the dog home anyway. Naughty me.

Luckily, Rudy has been a great dog. She doesn't mind being home alone, she doesn't need a lot of attention and she is good with the kids. She does dig in the yard, bark at strange people and tear up my garden. But for some reason, we keep her. Earlier this week she got out when I took out the trash and when she came back she smelled really bad. I thought it would go away, like she stepped in something. Turned out she rubbed herself in some other dog's shit. Nice Rudy. So I had to give her a bath.

She isn't a big dog, just 40 pounds or so, but I don't like giving her a bath. Unfortunately, I had no choice. Not only did I have to give her a bath, I had to do it with both kids home and awake. Bubba was occupied by the TV, but Punkin Head had to be entertained while I was bathing the dog. I am quite the Super Mom.

My Honey called tonight while I was at work, it was slow enough I could talk for awhile. They are having a good time. The kids have been good, the party for Great-Grandma was nice. She is getting pretty frail though. He took a bunch of pictures, I can't wait to see them.

(I did end up going to my Auntie's house. She and I went out to breakfast. When I dropped her off after breakfast, hot guy was going out to his rig.)

Alone Sat am

*sigh*
Its 9:30.
I woke up, then lay in bed day dreaming in the quiet for a couple hours.
Nice.

Now I have a few more hours to kill before work. I think I will shower, then treat myself to some kind of delicious breakfast that someone else makes, serves me and then cleans up! Biscuits, hash browns & gravy anyone? Or maybe some kind of crepes? Maybe, just maybe, I will see if my Auntie wants to go with me, probably not, I am kind of liking the alone-ness.
Although, there is this hot guy that lives in her building. . .

Aloneness

The whole fam-damily is leaving town today.

My Honey is taking the kids to my dads for the night. On Saturday they are going to his grandmas 90th birthday party (at least that's how old they think she is) then back to my dads for the night and home on Sunday.

I can't go because of work. Too short of notice to get the weekend off, so I get to be alone in our house.

I don't think I have had the pleasure in the 4 years we have lived here to be totally alone overnight except maybe once. Ahhhh. The quiet, the clean (thanks to my Girl Thursday).

Can you imagine?
What will I do with myself?
*sigh*
I don't know either.

Found Objects

Bubba, Punkin Head and I were in the yard the other day. Bubba wanted to go in the house to get some glue "so I can glue the grass." Alright. So there he was gluing the grass - literally, holding the big bottle of Elmer's above the grass, gluing the grass. I suggested we might like to glue things to paper instead. These are what we came up with. (The top one is his, the bottom one is mine).