I had a post but it's going to have to wait.

Because I am rather frustrated and angry.

All of this is due to Car Dealerships (and I'm only capitalizing because I'm mad) under inflating tires. This time specifically Toyota. That's right I said it. Not only do they only vaguely tell me where my car is so I try to get in the wrong car with someone already in it, but they cause this whole ensuing scenario.

So it's cold here, like as in really cold for the NW and it's only 20 degrees this morning. And I got up and left for work earlier than normal because there's ice on the road and I think that's enough to worry about. But no, as I'm driving into work a little (!) symbol came up on my dash. Well that's rather disconcerting but I'M TOO WORRIED ABOUT THE POSSIBLE ICE and my car is still driving. My car is in motion and I'm not stopping to figure out what that symbol means because time will pass and more drivers will get on the road. And what I am really worried about is stupid drivers + ice = another wrecked car for me that I don't want this year. So I finally make it to work and pull out my car manual and the little (!) means that TOYOTA UNDER INFLATED MY TIRES.

Okay so I go in and start to work and this issue continues to gnaw at me because I have OCD. My mother always told me that I always wanted instant gratification but really she just never recognized that I have OCD. Any problem is going to be the biggest problem in the world until it is fixed properly because I can't handle it otherwise.

So I decide to go out and fix it myself. At this point I'm still just glad that it's nothing I have to take my car in for. So I go to the store and get a psi reader and (smartly, for once in my life) I try to read the pressure in my tires while I'm still at the store. BUT I CAN'T GET THE AIR PRESSURE CAP OFF A SINGLE TIRE. So I go back in the store and buy a vice grip because why wouldn't a vice grip get the caps off the tires? WELL IT DOESN'T. This is the point where I really start to get mad. Because Toyota didn't inflate my tires properly and now THEY ARE THWARTING MY ATTEMPTS TO FIX IT MYSELF. (I really tried to write that sentence without the caps. Please know that when I use caps it's just me raising my voice in my head. If you knew me you would know I am not normally loud. Oh, wait, you do all know me... Crap, you already have formed opinions...)

I however, become extremely lucky at this point because the store I'm at has a Les Schwab (I had to look that up as I had no idea what it was called other than it was a tire shop) right next to it and they just opened. I am about to start crying because I can't fix this issue and when I get really angry I cry. (Yes, I hate that I do that. I am all angry but I look like I am something soft a mushy and I really just want to feel powerful and hard and I'm starting to feel a little stabby. That's the best description I have of how I feel anger.) So I go over to the Les Schwab and ask for help (something I hate to do) and this lovely, lovely man FIXES MY TIRE PRESSURE FOR ME. I love him.

And now I can go on with my day. Thanks for listening to my rant.

My toothbrush sounds like Chewbacca.

So, imagine that you're just going along brushing your teeth and all of a sudden you realize that your toothbrush is sounding like this:



It would freak you out too right?!?! My new toothbrush has a "max care" setting where you can brush your teeth for three minutes and for the last 15 seconds of each section my toothbrush sounds like Chewbacca. This. Is. Awesome. Because when I was little I wanted to be Princess Leia.

And on an amazingly awesome note. ISAAC FOUND MY CAMERA. I know, I know. I would give you a paper bag to breathe in if I were there.

Cheese

Because I found some cheese this morning that made me very, very happy.

I am very picky about my cheese but definitely no connoisseur of it, in fact I think I am quite the opposite. I really only like mild cheeses. I know that whenever someone offers me a piece of cheese that has a really funky name it's probably going to taste the same. I don't like eating mold, I mean I guess I wouldn't mind if it was disguised as something else. But really look at that sentence, can you disguise mold to taste like anything else? I don't think so. I feel like I'm eating someone's basement and that's gross.

So I only like mild cheeses that have barely aged. This is kind of weird as that I don't like milk but I'm way more than willing to eat milk that has barely set up as a solidified object. Probably one of the hardest cheeses to find that I like is Manouri cheese but I can from time to time. A grilled Manouri, beet and marinated artichoke sandwich is pretty much to die for.

But one cheese that I never thought would be hard to find is Muenster cheese, but maybe because it was just so integral to my childhood. I remember grating it and putting it on top of Lavosh and melting the cheese until it was all bubbly. It's probably one of my favorite nostalgia foods.

So a few weeks ago I thought, I know I'll go to the store, get some Lavosh and Muenster cheese and have that for dinner. I was super excited. So you can imagine my disappointment when the closest I could find was Port Salut cheese which was way too soft and a little off in taste so it ended up making me more disappointed than if I hadn't found anything similar at all. I acutally bought two hunks of Port Salut in my excitement because I had convinced myself it was exactly the same with just a different name.

Please look at the pictures below. Port Salut is blobby, white and orange and Muenster is hard and can stand up in it's own. These are important differences people.

So this morning I had a desperate need to stop at the store for food for lunch this week (sorry for the many tangents). I was picking out some hummus and out of the corner of my eye I saw it, creamy yellow in the center and the crisscrossed orange on the outside. I kinda freaked out inside, and bought three.

My face wash is out for the color green.

Two disclaimers first:
1) I wanted another Sonicare so that Isaac and I would each have one. I realized later I didn't write that but it's been my motivating factor. Also I've figured out all the settings on my new one.
2) As to the someone else's car incident yesterday, I was getting my car serviced at Toyota yesterday. It was dark and pouring rain. When they tell you your car is out front, it should be out front. Not out front but all the way down at the end on the left. I also don't need my keys out to open my car, my key just has to be in the vicinity of my car by three feet and I can pull on the handle and it unlocks. So by surprising that lovely young woman I wasn't forgetting to do anything or doing anything odd, that's how opening my car works. She just has an amazingly awesome car that looks exactly like mine.

So anyways. My face wash is out to get green. It's trying to do it slowly so that I will ruin more things instead of catching on, but it's too late, I've figured it out. It also ruins things indiscriminately which makes things awkward for me. I think my face wash laughs at me when it causes these situations. I noticed two weeks ago it ruined my long sleeved green shirt, so that became a night shirt. I apparently also ruined two of Isaac's Grandma's towels (pictured below), which were both, you guessed it, green. When we got home from Christmas I notice it ruined a striped mint green shirt I had but that wasn't so upsetting as that was already relegated to night shirt status. I feel worse about ruining Grandma's towels as they aren't mine. So far my face wash hasn't ruined anything else, it just apparently like the color green as much as I do.

This:

causes this:

I would stop using my face wash but I have the oiliest skin known to mankind and it's the only thing that keeps me from breaking out terribly. As long as it works I am sticking with it but I might have to find a new favorite color...

I got a toothbrush! And why it sort of makes me intimidated...

So I've had a Sonicare toothbrush for the longest time. I got an e series when they first came out (I believe) and I love it. It was actually a Christmas present request that year too but I ended up buying it for myself that year too. I seriously wanted one, I know kinda lame. Apparently I'm really into dental health but seeing the dentist is off putting to me (I never said I made sense).

I've been contemplating getting another one for a few months now as I've had my current Sonicare for at least 7 years and it's been awesome. It's never failed me, until this past weekend. I actually blame myself as I think it just wasn't charged up when we went south. (I put it on the charger when we got home yesterday and this morning it was still charging bar 4 out of 5). It did, however, give me the perfect excuse to buy a second one (maybe my subconscious?) which is exactly what I did. This is rather obvious as this is what my post is about, duh Sarah.
My new one is kind of intimidating. The e series has two modes 1) when you first ever use it or it fully dies it starts out slowly ramping up to it's full power so you get used to it. And 2) regular strength. The replaceable brushes all say e series right below the brush. This lettering never comes off. My new toothbrush? It's already shaken all the lettering off... I've had it three days. I'm really hoping the handle will stick to only beating the crap out of the brush. It also has at least 5 modes (I only see 5 but I haven't read the manual yet), this creates a lot of indecision. Which one to use? Will I get it right? (that's a joke) But with my OCD I want to used them all evenly but that doesn't really mean that's best. I apparently need to read the manual. Needless to say I love it. Again, lame I know, but I'm easy to please/amuse.

Ways that my life make me embarrassed/ashamed.

Let's just take being left handed as an example. While it may be novelty and TOTALLY RAD when you tell people, over all it just makes me look stupid.

I always do EVERYTHING backwards from you which can a) always reenforce to you that I am left handed or b) make me look like I am so retarded that I can't do anything in a proper manner. I will always walk out of step, hold scissors in the wrong hand (which makes me whiny because they hurt), be the guy in ANY dancing duo, and make me look funny in your specifically right handed desks. I'm sure there are many more that I just can't think of right now. Luckily, I know what side of the road to drive on.

So from now on if I do anything you consider weird just attribute it to me being left handed. It will make things easier but I will still feel ashamed.

Oh, I remembered one. I have been told from time to time, when I offer to teach someone something that I really can't, because I am left handed. See, sometimes it would be easier to have a visual deformity instead of having something that you can forget about from time to time smack you in the face as an actual impediment.

Oh, Merry Christmas! :)

It worked!

It's exactly how I imagined it would be. :)

Wow, that was a long break...

Sorry I've been gone for so long. I haven't really been in the mood to blog and things have been pretty busy lately. This past year has been stressful and instead of sounding like the sad violin (panda) I've chosen to blog less because that's what's been on my mind. I know I am very blessed and that my standard of living is pretty good which also makes me feel bad for feeling like I don't have enough and worrying about running short. It also makes me not a lot of fun to be around when I talk about it. (Yes I realize this).

But anyways, things are looking up. There is so much that I have done that I haven't blogged about and I can't find my camera (frustrating) so there will be few pictures. None of them taken by me. Hopefully when Isaac cleans out his truck he will find it because that's kind of my last hope.

So for starters lets get the unpleasant out of the way. We were unable to sell Isaac's business and it came to the point where we really didn't want to anymore. We also still owe money to the business but we are having a positive attitude that we can do it, and so we shall. This has been a great point of stress for many months now, but it's getting better and I am so thankful.

Okay on to the good. Kelly and I took another road trip and this time the lovely Stephanie came with us when we went to Vancouver, BC. Besides a rather disgruntled border guard we had a great time. It was supposed to rain 2-4 inches when we were there for the day and man did we luck out. Not only was there no rain (our rain boots looked kinda silly) but we even had the most perfect sunset. Kelly was an amazing navigator and she got us all around the city on a little map. Kelly and Stephanie were very patient with me in finding a yarn shop (I now know where it is for the future) and then we went to the Aquarium and explored the park surrounding the aquarium. Sorry, like I said no pictures, can't find the camera.

Another bright spot is that Isaac got a second part time job (two nights a week) with South Seattle Community College. It's for six months and it will help us out a lot, I'm really excited for it but I also hope it's not too much for Isaac to handle.

And last but not least Isaac got me a kindle for my birthday/Christmas. I figured my birthday had passed I could open it. :) And I'm really excited about how I'm going to dress it up (keeping my fingers crossed it will work). These are the only pictures you'll get. The silicone cover is partially see through like frosted glass so I'm really hoping and I believe that the image will show through the back giving it a really nice effect. I should get it today and I'm excited to see if my conjecture will be right.

Oh, I so did not see this coming...

I don't know how I could have known or even perceived that this would happen... again. And I've been in the throes of it for two weeks now because I've been meaning to blog but I couldn't pull myself away from it. Any guesses? Sadly, it's Twilight, again.

I'm a little bewildered by it. Two Saturdays ago the thought popped into my head "Hmmm, maybe I should reread Twilight. That sounds like fun." Wha?! And so off I went. It's been a lot better this time, obviously, it took me two weeks to get through all four. I've been able to watch t.v., listen to music, oh yeah, and sleep. Granted I'm keeping those things to a minimum (except the sleep part) as I'd rather be reading but it's so much more sane than last November. Last year if I wasn't reading I was irritated, it was all I wanted to do and anything that took my attention away from it was unacceptable. I've been doing all the same things this time too but at a much saner pace. It's almost over, I think I'm going to reread it once more and then save it for next year. Because, obviously I am prepared, I now know that November + Twilight = my new normal fall activities. I'm not going to be taken off guard again.

My number one wish with this series is that I could somehow erase it from my mind so that every time I read it it would be like the first time. Although I would probably be a crazy person if I got my wish. My second wish even though I am satisfied with the series as is would be to have more books in the series to read. That's how irrationally I love this series. Okay off to start the first one again, er, I mean work.

Ode to an Element

I wrote this last week on 10/13 but I lost track of time and am finally getting to it now.

Pictured above is an actual picture of my Honda Element and as of 11 am this morning I received the news that I knew was going to come and it's that she is totaled. I have never been so happy to hear that a car of mine is totaled. I know, it sounds oxymoronic. But I'm pretty sure that even if they had been able to fix it I wouldn't feel comfortable driving it.

She was a good little car and rarely gave me trouble. I will miss her but I will not be replacing her with a matching copy. I am instead getting this:

SO FRICKIN' EXCITED. I should get her tomorrow. :)

New Beginnings

So supposedly 10.10.10 signals a new beginning, I just wonder if mine took a few extra days to kick in. Because people, things are (hopefully) starting to look up. The insurance company of the guy who hit me finally yesterday afternoon took responsibility. Yay! But man has there been cat drama.
I know that Isaac and I have had a lot of stressful things lately and I know that the cats have picked up on our stress which makes them stressed and I know we have had shorter fuses. Not anything too bad but we can't handle as much complaining from the cats (read Finn). So Luna has been peeing on a towel I keep in the hallway for her and she has pooped twice on the bathmat. This is on top of peeing on the pillows on the love seat (we rarely use it) that's in the kitchen and rare usage apparently makes it fair game. On top of my stress this has been super annoying because it's just adding to the list of crap I have to do on a daily basis. Well, I caught Finn peeing on a pillow and I didn't know Luna was doing the other stuff because when she's stressed she doesn't really show it, because she doesn't do the behavior in front of you. So Finn has had some behavior modification and we were, this close, to finding him a new home but Isaac didn't have time. Which I guess is good because Finn has gotten a lot better. But now I think Luna will be the one going to a new good home. She had a rough babyhood, being born feral and having her ear clipped by animal control has made her really high stress really easy. And she hasn't stopped peeing on things so yesterday morning I tried to corral her into the downstairs bathroom and it didn't go so well. She was already stressed out and she freaked. She gouged me pretty well in a few places, freaked out Finn and Liam but I finally got her in the bathroom, so I'm hoping at least a few days in there will calm her down and then (I feel really bad saying this) we can relocate her. I can't correct her behavior because she sees it as I'm being like animal control when they grabbed her and clipped her ear.
Normally I get an instance of peeing on the pillows (only one of pillow) once every few months. Part of me is saying ride it out but it also feels like I can't break out of the cycle of the stress because so much is still unknown and the cats feel it and act out upping my stress. I don't know what to do. Because I also know that keeping Luna secluded causes some stress on both sides for the cats. Finn and Liam want to know what's going on in her room and vice versa, but I know letting her out into the house will totally increase her anxiety because there is so much space and she doesn't know what to expect around each corner, even though nothing has changed.
Not to mention that I worked a market for Isaac on Sunday and came home to Finn with a fishing hook in his lip (hello surprise vet surgery bill) which I'm sure added to the stress level on Sunday. I also found that Isaac's canopy window was pushed out in once place which was not by anyone breaking in. It would be too hard of a place to try. So I had to take off work early yesterday to get it fixed, it was an easy fix but just something else to add to my list of crap to do.
I'm curious as to what they say the state of my car is. I believe it's totaled but we'll see. I just know what the damage that I can see it and it's seems pretty major.
Please send your good thoughts my way! And pray that things calm down! :)

I don't have a problem...

Do you think? :)

And my next purchase?

Its so pretty isn't it? It's already on its way.

And for Corey. I meant to post this after I took it because it was the same week she posted about a double rainbow. It's kind of hard to see but in the left corner is the second rainbow.

And an update. I finally saw a Chiropractor today and I only have minor whiplash. It will take about 6 months to get my spine back in alignment so I'm looking forward to that. Bruises are appearing but I feel very lucky, I know how much worse it could have been. I had to stop and get a few more things out of my car today and I found out today that my automatic door unlocker doesn't even work anymore so luckily they had the key. Most of this post is because what I forgot was about half of my lovely lovely rings above. On another note, the other insurance rep called me today and while I was unable to answer my phone she left a much nicer message than yesterday. Yesterday she was telling me that basically it wasn't their fault and if I really wanted to get this going I could go ahead and go through my insurance. Today her tone indicated to me that she was understanding that none of this was my fault and that she was trying to get the claim moving so I could get through this process. Yay! I'll let you all know more when I do.

Oh the difference a day makes...

Or even a few seconds I guess. Last night I was driving home as normal and the lane I was in had slowed to a stop in front of me. So I slowed too and was almost at a complete stop, the car behind me was proceeding the same way because I was looking at in my rear view mirror. Then all of a sudden behind that I saw smoke and the next thing I knew I was being spun in a 360. I guess two cars behind me the guy only saw the person in front breaking hard and his two options he told me were to jump in the HOV lane or hit the person in front of him. So he jumped in the HOV lane barely missing another car and scaring the bejeezus out of them and at that point this person is so out of control of their car that they actually slam into me and we start turning in a 360. After talking to the state patrol that arrived on scene I now believe that I was struck by another car that did not stay on scene. I say this because the back rear passenger trunk side window is smashed out and the metal beneath the window is sheared through. The driver of the other vehicle hit me in the driver rear side and then by spinning the front driver side too. And guys, my car won't start, and I'm pretty sure it's totaled, if it's not I think it would be a miracle. The firemen when they arrived on scene tried to drive it over to the shoulder but had to end up pushing it. The person that hit me they ended up driving their car over to the shoulder. The good thing is I'm not really hurt just a little sore some bruising and some welts.
There's a lot of silver lining here. No one was seriously injured, and their were first responders (that weren't even our first responders) in traffic behind us so we had a lot of help before anyone that was called to the scene even came on scene. I was close to home so Isaac was able to come get me. Probably the funniest part is that currently when you turn my wheel the horn honks all on its own and I do believe the windshield wipers start going, which means the steering column is probably pretty messed up. My rear drivers side tire looked tilted (not a good sign) and my gas tank was smashed in. Not to mention how smashed in the front drivers side is.
So if the car isn't totaled then they will repair it and if it is I have GAP insurance and I can go get a new car at this point it's just a wait and see. Wish me luck and whomever was stuck in traffic yesterday because of the accident, sorry you had to sit in traffic, I know how much it can suck.

Apple Farm!

So this weekend I picked up Kelly and we went to the Apple Farm. We found some cows along the way and I totally forgot my camera at home but luckily Kelly brought hers so she was able to take a lot of cool pictures. We took a tractor ride of the farm and one of the owners John was really funny. He had this portable sound system that he was having the guy giving the tour use and since Kelly and I were at the very end of the tractor he was the most concerned if we could hear. The funny part was we were trying to tell John that we could hear without the sound system but we weren't getting through to him at first. He finally came up to our cart because we forgot to clip the rope across the entrance (oops) and said if we couldn't hear to throw a rock at the guy giving the tour. I told John I didn't have a rock so he bent down and grabbed a piece of gravel and gave it to me. There were also quite a few really cute little children on the tractor ride. There was one specific girl in the cart in front of us and she kept watching us so we waved and smiled at her which I think just increased her fascination. She was very adventurous and precocious and so much fun to watch. We picked up everything apples and some honey roasted peanut butter.
After the Apple Farm we were on to checking something off Kelly's list which was eating at a Chick-fil-A.
Apparently Kelly has done her research and the one and only Chick-fil-A in Washington State is in Bellingham at Western Washington Univ. Well we were only a few miles away and after being led astray by Google we found the one and only Chick-fil-A in Washington State. So nummy, I haven't had Chick-fil-A in years.
After that our day wound down and we headed home beneath sunny skies. We had such a great day! We clicked immediately and nothing ever felt awkward or out of place. Here's to many more trips in the next few years to come.

I can't think of anything, make up your own title.

So I had this great idea driving home yesterday for an art installment. I will never create it as it involves building a highway, and I don't care about trying to find the money/space/time to do so, I already have a career. I don't know if any of you remember or heard about when Honda created the musical highway in California but my idea is kind of similar. I think it would be really cool to create a highway that when you drive on it you feel like you are part of the undulating waves in an ocean. The second part to it is to actually make the road create the sound of waves crashing on the beach (if it's possible). I just realized that this may make some people seasick... Anywho... I think it's a cool idea.

Last weekend I went to OFFF with Jilian and it was so much fun. We hit the Blue Moon booth first (Tina said I looked familiar!) and I got quite a few rare gems. Rare gems are all one of a kind overdyed skeins of yarn. I need to take pics and post them. We then tooled around some of the booths and then went into the barn to look at the sheep. Some of the noises the sheep were making were freaking me out because it literally sounded like they were being tortured. Yes, I know sheep are dumb animals but Jilian was sweet enough to seek them out with me to show me that they were making a fuss for no reason, and they really were.

September has been great as far as friends go, but the rest not so much. Here's to hoping October will be much better and possibly outstanding. (I'm keeping my fingers crossed) It's already going to start out great as this weekend Kelly (yes Cor, your Kelly) and I are going to finally meet and go to the apple orchards. I'm so excited.

P.S. Still totally in love with making the bias mohair loop. I am this close to being done with my first, second one still underway and a third (in magenta) started.

Time to bust the vitamin D out

So I'm making this:

The one below is one of the ones I am making. It's kind of a sea glass blue green and I love it. I've kind of altered the pattern so I don't have to graft. I'm making another one based on the pattern  (it's a vibrant blue green and black) that I'll have to graft so we'll see which one turns out better. It's like I'm subconsciously wishing the autumnal weather to continue.

I love Chaco's and now they make shoes!

I already have Chaco sandals but I still want these:

However, I want these too and since winter is coming they are winning out. Now just scraping up the money and not making myself feel guilt about it. Aren't they cute?

The adventures of cat shaving

So Liam is getting old(er) and I'm having to admit it because no matter how much I brush him he's getting way more mats this year. So I've been tossing around the idea to get him shaved (yes I know it's August). I checked what the price was and slightly balked (I mean really!?! I just want you to shave the hair off my cat) and put it off. I then called back this week and was informed that I need to give them proof of up to date rabies shots. Well I can't find those and going to the vet to get him a new one drastically raises the price of this little venture from slightly annoying to ridiculous.
So I'm guess you've gathered from this I've decided to do it myself. I shave Isaac's hair when it gets too long so he can shave the rest. How hard could it be? I just need to get him to sit still and he's a pretty agreeable cat. Add on that he loves me a whole lot. So I now have half his back shaved and I know I have to do it all at the very least so perhaps I'll do more tonight. I haven't hurt him or drawn blood so he's still mostly okay with the process. Everyone just has to be sitting down while I do it because movement kinda freaks him out when he has to sit still and can't see what's going on.
I'm not including pictures because that might lower Liam's self esteem. ;)

Threadless

I couldn't resist last week.

Introducing the Don't Care Bears (I think of these bear more as the Care Bears but they care in the opposite way)

And Fake Panda. They had this shirt that I voted on awhile ago that I loved it was a polar bear and a black bear holding a baby panda bears hand in the middle. However, it never was made into a shirt. I still desperately want one.

PLU 4045

Why this is the best time of year (although I'm sure I say this every year) Cherries!

And I'm currently in love with hot yoga. I'm going today and I'm pretty sure I'm going Friday too. So awesome.

Why this show is ridiculous

And by show I don't mean this blog, but at times I'm sure I'm ridiculous. I mean the show "The Secret Life of the American Teenager". 

Okay, I'll fess up to it, I liked the show when it began but somewhere in the middle of last season my bs meter started going off. This show at times is rather unbelievable and maybe it's how teenagers are these days but I was never like these teenagers. Please let me know if I am/was delusional about this.

 The sad part (from my point of view) is that Isaac still watches the show, faithfully. I say this not as a jab to Isaac but because watching this show currently makes me want to poke my eye out with a sharp stick. Okay, maybe that's slightly over exaggerating it, at the very least I devolve to making snide comments loudly to the tv. And Isaac asking me politely to stop or find something else to do (I go find something else to do). I'm glad Isaac doesn't take me doing this personally and I'm glad he still likes the show. 

Two recent examples I have are these:

Example 1: Jack finally tells Madison he loves her and she assumes he has a gift to give her because he has said this. She then breaks into a monologue about it citing that she needs a gift for evidence. You know, because she needs to have something to show her friends to prove this moment. I don't know anyone who was this kind of teenager, please let me know if you know one it would help me make sense of this.

Example 2: Adrienne leaving her cell phone at home when she runs away and her father uses it to call all her friends to see if they know where she's at. EVERY TIME he calls one of her friends they have no idea who is calling them and it has to be set up in the dialog who is who. It then gets worse, even though he has told ALL OF THEM that she left her cell phone at home and he is calling them on it THEY ALL CALL HER CELL PHONE. It is then set up in the dialog that they were calling Adrienne's cell phone to see if they could find out where she was at and everyone has to reintroduce themselves again to each other because again, everyone is confused as to who is on the other end of the line. Either this girl doesn't have anyone stored in her phone book or everyone is illiterate. I think the latter would make a lot of sense for this show. Seriously!?!? I had to leave at this point (obviously) it was too big a break from reality for me.

I originally was interested in and watched this show because Molly Ringwald is in it and I was really excited to see her in something again after all these years. No more my friends, no more. 

Don't forget the fakelaki

So lots to talk about. I've been promising myself to update this but every time I sit down I either have to get up to do something else or I suddenly find everything going on boring.

The most current: I got a new phone thanks to my fab-o husband. It's the new T-Mobile my touch slide. I have in the past year or two really gotten into white. My winter coats are white, and so is my cell phone. I used to be afraid of white but I have realized that I guess I'm not the klutz I used to be and I do some how have the ability to keep white white. Now that I say this everything white I wear will get ruined. Just you watch.

Isaac had his last interview on Friday for a chef instructor position at South Seattle Community College and fingers crossed we'll find out next Monday. We were supposed to know yesterday but two days is not enough time to ask for references, get them back, review them and make a decision. We've been waiting long enough to know that next Monday isn't that far away. That said, I still really want to know.
We also entertained one of Isaac's chefs from the CIA and his wife on the Monday after the 4th of July. He recently left the CIA to work for Campbell's soup company as one of their senior R&D people and he not only offered to write but he wrote Isaac a letter of recommendation for the job he's up for and he was also talking about getting Isaac a job with Campbell's in the next few years. So we'll see but it would be really cool if that happened.

Besides that we went to Longview for the 4th and it was really nice to see Susie, Lee and Grandma. Okay, back to work now.

Cars

So every once in a while I think about the different kinds of cars I would like to own. I'm not in the market but sometimes it's just fun to think about. What are some different cars you would like to own? My list is below.

My First one is a Volkswagen Karmann Ghia. I've wanted one forever but I have always been warned about the impracticality and that it could break down on me... Often. I still want one.

My next one is maybe a little weird as it is a 1990's Toyota Forerunner. I've wanted one since high school and I only like how the ones from the 90's look. I think this stems from wanting one while I was in high school.

                                     

I saw this next one and fell in love. I'm pretty sure I will never own one since I don't think I could ever bring myself to pay this much for a car and the maintenance fees would make my blood pressure soar but here you go. It's a Volvo xc90. So beautiful.

                                     

And the last one I agree with Corey is a really cool car. The only thing I don't like is the tiny rear view window. It's a Toyota FJ Cruiser.

                                     

Who wants to mow their lawn?

Well that would be me.

The place that we are currently renting has a yard so we (read that as I) are required to mow. The owners have left us a lawnmower on property that we can use to complete this task. So last night I started to mow and not very far into mowing the lawn mower died. So I checked the gas and it still had plenty in the tank. I then checked the oil and there was plenty of that too. At this point I tipped the lawnmower and I noticed that gas started to leak out of the air filter. I'm taking this as a bad sign. So I go in and get Isaac and he is able to start it up but then it also promptly dies on him too. He checks everything like I did but thinks the gas might be a bit low and he thinks it just needs more gas. So we get the gas and fill it up, at this point more gas is now coming out of the air filter. So we call his dad who says we should take it to a repair shop. I also ask Isaac to call the owners as it is their lawnmower.

Long story short much later the husband owner calls my phone and says that he only heard something about the lawnmower not working and to call him back. This totally ticks me off as we left him a detailed message about the lawnmower and what this issue was. He then proceeds to call Isaac's phone and say that the lawnmower is a gift and it's our issue. Which to me says that he understands the issue but doesn't want to pay for it.

So my dilemma is with the research I've done that this could be a rather inexpensive issue or it could become a chronic problem. The lawnmower is a Craftsman Eager-1 which seems to be a good lawnmower but at the same time I don't know how old it is and therefore if it would even be worth to fix. I also don't want to deal with the hassle of all the time and possible money it would take it fix it. I also hate having to get an extra supply of gas just for it. Also I need to mow the lawn. So my other solution is to buy a new lawn mower. I've always wanted a reel mower as I think they are really cool and the only power you use is propulsion. Isaac is against this but as I've pointed out, I mow the lawn. What we get (if we get one) should be my say as I'll be stuck with it. I also feel like every month any money that I could keep always has to go into something like this that just pops up and demands attention and money. I know, it's life, get used to it.

So this is what I've found, it's the Fiskars Momentum Reel Mower.

Any thoughts? Suggestions?

On an up note

Music I'm listening to right now:
Greg Laswell, OMG all Greg Laswell

Jack Savoretti

And Thunderstorms, I'm really missing them currently and our weather keeps looking like it will but it doesn't.

Tough All Over

I know I haven't posted lately but it's hard when I get stressed to not just, well, stress. Admittedly when we were asked to find a new home because Jim and Dee's niece was losing her house due to foreclosure I knew it would be tough. But I thought it would be doable. I also think I budgeted us to the last penny and I'm not used to ever doing that I'm used to having a cushion. And while admittedly our account has not hit zero or overdrawn it's gotten pretty low.
I knew we'd have to work hard, much harder than we were and I think the stress of that is getting to me too. I've also had to pull from our savings which is modest to begin with. We are also relying on Isaac's business to help us out and most months he can but I've had to use our saving when he hasn't been able to. I feel bad about it but it's the only way we are going to make it and I'm very lucky that I can work overtime to help us also in an economy like this. All I have to say is don't ever get a loan for 100,000 and have to absolutely pay it back in ten years while having to pay all other aspects of living. I know I'm pretty down in the mouth about all of this so it's time to say what I am grateful for and what's getting me through.
Namely, Isaac. He's such a great husband and he would do anything to help us/me. I am grateful daily to him for his love, help and commitment to seeing us through.Also there is a possibility for him to get a better job and while he has a lot of competition I know he has a really good chance. His interview is Thursday so please send good thoughts and keep your fingers crossed. And even if this other job doesn't pan out he has a really great job as is. And last but not least our five year wedding anniversary is this Friday. That seems pretty crazy but also really wonderful. I'm also thankful for all of you guys. My family and friends. I do have to make a disclaimer that I'm also overly emotional right now as it's oh, right about that time of the month.

P.S. Carrie I'm really moving on your socks. :)

I've finally found it.

So ever since I was a teenager I have wanted wings tattooed on my back. There are a few issues that have impeded me up to this point such as I've never found the right wings and as far as my profession goes tattoos are not common place. I do however, figure that if they're on my back it circumnavigates that issue it turns more into I am majorly and permanently altering my body and that's really hard for me to wrap my head around.

I think one thing that makes all this easier is that I have finally found the wings I want. I've been watching all the seasons of Battlestar Galactica lately for the first time and I'm right around season 2.5-3 and I have seen Kara's and Anders' arms. Holy s**t. That's amazing, I love it and I want it. For those of you that don't watch Battlestar Galactica or don't remember what it looks like I have pictures posted below. I would take out the constellation of Capricorn that they have split between the two and put the Sagittarius constellation in the middle of the ring. Everyone has three signs so I might put my other two where the split up Capricorn signs are. I really love this so here's to hoping I will actually do it.

Shirts on the way...

Yay!

Tulips, Dragons and Cleaning

So a couple of weeks ago Isaac and I went up to La Conner to look at the tulips. It was great there were very few people we stayed a while and I feel I got a lot of nice shots. The whole thing was very relaxed. So I asked Isaac if he would want to go up again and see what was in bloom this time and he agreed. We got up early on Sunday (who am I kidding, we always get up early) and went. This past weekend was the most heavily attended weekend of the Tulip Festival (don't ask me why) so it was nice that we got there early. Of course at any event that is heavily attended there are cops (duh). So we found a tulip field and pulled over on the side of the road behind a few other cars, got out and started taking pictures. By no means is this parking legal. I found out very quickly that Isaac thought it was because as we were approaching the field there were signs that said parking ahead and Isaac assumed when he saw the cars that that is where the parking was. So a cop pulls up and asks everyone to move their cars. Isaac wants to have a conversation (argument) with the cop because Isaac thinks we are parked legally (we were in between no parking signs). I was able to get him to stop talking to the cop and just move the car. At that point he realized we were parked illegally.
When we got home we went and saw "How to Train Your Dragon". It's a really cute movie and the main dragon looks a lot like Stitch from Lilo and Stitch. It was kind of distracting to me, see below.

And then it was home to cleaning galore (three loads of dishes), Battle Star Glactica and Brioche French toast for dinner.

So, um, yeah

So I've been putting off admitting this to anyone (it's not too terrible, don't get excited) :) but I haven't been in a weight room for about a month, I don't know why. I'm a girl that loves a good weight room, and by a good weight room I  mean free weights and the more character the better (you know as long as it's still safe and all). I have been doing my cardio but not up to usual specs either. I've been getting on myself about this but doing nothing else about it. Again, no idea why no motivation. Lifting weights is relaxing to me (yes, I get the oxymoron) and I guess to be a little sacrilege it's kind of like going to church for me. I can rock out to my music and get into my quiet me space (again, I get the oxymoron, I probably am one) and I always feel so much better when I'm done, sore but my spirits are lifted. I don't think I've ever left a weight room mad, sure I may get frustrated in the middle of a set that I can't continue but it rolls right off me because I know I'm doing my best. Well, I ended my streak of no weights on Tuesday and if I say so myself I think I over did it. It's also probably that it's been a while and I chose weights that were too heavy for me. I got exercises mixed up but over all I don't care because I'm sore in a way that I love. It pretty much hurts to move but not in an ouch I really screwed something up kinda way. I know how that feels too and it ain't pretty. I often come to the realization that I will probably spend more of my life being sore than not and finding that really hilarious because I like it. It's also so empowering to be the only girl walking past these guys in the free weight section and to know what I'm doing. Not having to ask for help but instead "when are you going to be done with that" or "can I rotate in?".

Now I just need to ramp up my cardio, too bad running is pretty much out.

Remiss

So I know I said I would blog more often but I clearly ignored myself, moving on now.
Things going on with me lately-
I've gotten back into Chris Whitley's music big time. He's one of my favorite artists and he sadly passed away in 2005 of lung cancer when he was only 45. I found his first cd at the library and thought it looked interesting so I brought it home. I was only 13 or 14 at the time. I was hooked with the first listen and when ever I hear his music or another artist rerecord one of his songs it always spurs me back to him. My absolute favorite song by him is "Little Torch" but I love all his music, there isn't a single song I can say I don't like. There are no words for how his music touches me. I don't understand the how or why but it's rather profound.

I am working on saying regardless instead of irregardless. I always say irregardless when that is clearly not what I should say. I have a feeling it may take a while as I have been saying it incorrectly for years.

I am finally almost finished knitting my first pair of socks and while I actually really like knitting socks I hate knitting the heel flap. I think I need blunter needles and I think that might solve the issue. Pictures will be posted when it's done. I am also half way through knitting my second shawl, keep your fingers crossed that I bought enough yarn. I do have a back up plan to finish it if I didn't buy enough.

I have kind of given up learning how to write right handed for now, apparently it's not important enough and it takes away knitting time. :)

I think that's it for now.

Questions and Observations

First of all I need to figure out how to write straight and I need to remember to keep my pen vertical. I for some reason write on a rather harsh slant and hold my pen the same way. Also how do you guys see what you're writing? I am so used to having my pen almost behind what I'm writing so I can see how my words are being formed on the page. I mean sure you're not riding the binding but how do you know what you're writing? I never realized that I rely on being able to see my words as I write them to know that I am spelling them right. Writing with my right hand I feel blind. I am trying to peer through my finger to see my letters. And lastly, it feels really odd. Some time soon I will post pics of how it looks so far.

Resolution

So I decided today I'm going to make a resolution for this year. (Yes I know it's March) I'm going to work on becoming ambidextrous at writing. It feels so odd and I want to know how you right handers do it.

Akilter

Things to be grateful for: I'm almost over my cold and my voice is almost all the way back. I was awake less last night than previous nights. Isaac and I both forgot to make coffee so I had to stop at Starbucks this morning and I got a venti coffee instead of the usual grande I make. Also True Blood rocks, I might look into adding HBO to my cable, but probably not. Oh, and my shawl is almost to the edges.

Things I'm not so excited about: Since we didn't make coffee Isaac didn't get any this morning since he goes to work before Starbucks is open. I found this really cute ring (pics below) on Carrotbox on Monday when she updated but someone else put it on hold a few seconds before me and she only had one size of each. The only one left was too small and she doesn't know if/when she'll get more and like any smart business person she won't tell me who her source is. I really want it though! I don't like the color of my shawl so it's going to a good home. For some reason I don't understand there are dibs on it. :) I have to wait until June when True Blood Season 2 comes out on DVD.

Heelys

Right now I really want a pair of these: