Delusions of... Everything

Outta Here!

I'm on my way to the island this afternoon for a luxuriously long scrapbooking weekend at the island!  I've composed new entries to automatically post while I'm gone because I will not have access to a computer.  I'll catch up with all of you when I get back!  I'll be taking lots of pictures and am really hoping for a nice sunset to shoot!

We will be a small group this weekend which is fine with me, since I cook for everyone.  The women that are coming are some of my favorite customers who I love spending time with.  We talk and laugh much of the time and we always hate to see the weekends end.

I'll have a recap when I get back so you can see what a scrapbooking weekend is like!

Enjoy your weekend!

I Spend A Lot Of Time Getting In And Out Of My Car

I got this idea from Jason many moons ago and am just getting around to doing it myself.

Follow me on a typical Monday!

4:15 am, wake up

5:00 am, get up after not being able to go back to sleep.

5:10 am, coffee with my favorite rock star

5:15 - 6:00 am, check email, make a blog post, check on the blogs I follow, comment on about half.

6:00 am, make sure Star Wars Son is up and start his breakfast.

(yes he eats chicken nuggets for breakfast)

6:05 am, Go get myself ready.

6:45 am, Wake up Dancing Daughter (1st wake up call of the morning)

6:50 am, Get into car for the first time.

6:55 am, Drop Star Wars Son off at school.

6:55 am, Call Dancing Daughter for 2nd wake up call.

7:00 am, Get home and go straight into Dancing Daughter's room to give her the 3rd, and final, wake up call.

7:05 am, Warm up leftovers from yesterdays dinner and eat!

7:30 am, Have lively discussion with DD about where her water bottle could possibly be.  She HAS to have water at school.

7:40 am, Get into car for 2nd time....  Wait, what's that?!  We are early this morning!

7:48, drop Dancing Daughter off at school.

7:58 am, Arrive at post office to get work mail from PO box.  (I have no picture of the building because there was too much traffic so I couldn't drive the car AND take a picture.)

7:59 am, Back into the car for the 3rd time.  I'm now on my way to work.  I love the days I stop at the post office because I really enjoy the site of the drive from there.  I took these while driving, with the point and shoot method!

8:08 am Arrive at work.

At my job I take care of the phones, mail, copying, process invoices, OK bills, prepare billing, file (the worse part of my job), prepare work orders, order supplies, prepare and mail out proposals for new jobs and whatever else needs to be done.  I really like my job.  When I'm not busy, it's ok for me to be online and I'll answer personal emails.  I don't blog too much at work, or post at my message board, but I have been known to Google people I used to know for hours at a time. :/

12:15 pm, Get into the car for the 4th time to go to a meeting at Dancing Daughter's school.  I'm president of the parent group, but only for 2 more months, WooHoo!  I had to leave work 45 minutes early for this meeting.

12:30 pm, Meeting at DD's school.

 

 

1:30 pm, Get into car for the 5th time and go home.

1:45 pm, Arrive home and go downstairs to change out of work clothes and start a load of laundry.

1:55 pm, Back up the stairs.

2:00 pm, Start making lists for the upcoming scrapbooking weekend at Anderson Island.

2:15 pm, Work on packing products to take.

 

2:40 pm, Decided what to have for prizes and gifts and pack them up.

 

3:00 pm, Go back downstairs to put my laundry in the dryer and find someone else's load in the dryer.  Notice that it's my load of island towels (with some of DD's stuff thrown in) from the day before.

 

3:01 pm, Fold towels and pack to take back to the island.

 

3:11 pm, Put clothes in the dryer and find lens cap and a key that had been in my jeans pocket.

 

 

3:15 pm, Go back upstairs to start putting together goodie bags for the scrapbooking weekend, with help from DD.  She was making sure she got some goodies too!

 

3:40 pm, Get distracted by the clouds out the window.

 

 

3:50 pm, Get package ready to mail to Scrapbooking customer.

 

4:00 pm, Handy Man gets home early.

4:05 pm, Converse with Handy Man while peeling and chopping for dinner.

4:20 pm, Back down stairs to fold and put away throw laundry on chair in the bedroom.

4:25 pm, Finish preparing dinner.

 

4:35 pm, Put dinner in the oven and sit down to read for 20 minutes before I have to go pick up SWS from play rehearsal.

4:40 pm, Text message from SWS, saying he's ready to be picked up.

4:42 pm, Back into the car for the 6th time to go pick him up.

4:50 pm, Back home, sit down to read.

4:52 pm, Star Wars Son wants to talk about his day.

5:15 pm, SWS is still talking while I put green beans on to steam.

5:20 pm, Take dinner out of oven.

5:30 pm, Sit down to eat.

 

6:00 pm, Clean up dinner mess, do dishes.

6:15 pm, Sit down to read again.  Handy Man wants to talk, then SWS joins in.

6:45 pm, Dancing Daughter comes running through the living room wanting to know what I did with her black leotard.  I don't even answer.

6:55 pm, Back into the car for the 7th time to take DD to dance class.

7:05 pm, Back home I arrange with HM to have him go pick up DD from dance at 9:00.  He's not working the next day and I'm really tired.  He agrees!!  My getting in and out of the car is done for the day.

7:06 pm, Run a bath.

 

7:10 - 8:00 pm, Sit in the bath and finally have some uninterrupted time to read.

8:15 pm, Get coffee ready for the next morning.

8:30 pm, Get in bed, really early!  Am so excited to be in bed so early that I read for the next hour without getting tired!

9:15 pm, DD comes in room crying because she feel dizzy and sick.  I give her a hug and she gets in the shower.  I refrained from reminding her how I told her not to eat so much pasta right before going to dance.

9:30 pm, Lights out!

Happy Birthday Mom

My mom's birthday is today.  She doesn't read my blog, she doesn't know what a blog is.  She does not use a computer.  She waits for my dad to tell her about emails I send.

My mom is a very simple person.  She is a good person.  Everyone she meets adores her.  The funny thing is, she doesn't love everyone she meets, but she doesn't let on that she doesn't like you.  I'm not being rude, when I say she has an instinct like a dog.  She just knows when someone is not quite a good or honest person.  I believe this instinct has served her well over the years.

She would do anything within her power for me and my family.  She loves my kids and they love her right back!

She is a very unique woman and I love her very much!  I'm very glad she's my mom!  Happy Birthday Mom!

 

Jessie

This is Jessie.  My son thinks she odd, especially when she does things like this:

She really wants to be on the window sill taking a nap, but it's too small.  She thinks she lying down, but she's not.

She loves me and I love her.  Mostly she loves my son, even if he thinks she's odd.

The Office

Not the show, but my actual office.  It should be called the junk room.  Most people have a junk drawer, we have a junk room!  It's horrible, I hate it, I don't know what to do with it.  We don't even have the computer in there anymore.  I should clarify that we don't have the computer in there because in the winter the office is freezing, you practically need gloves and a coat to use the computer.  It turns out we all like it in the common area.  You can chat and show people stuff while on the computer.

I was inspired by this post to at least clean and kinda organize my office.  Mary did a great job updating and organizing her office.  It looks great and she did it on a budget I could afford!  But then I look at this and am completely overwhelmed!

The office also serves as my Creative Memories "store".  I have my inventory in there and when I have scrapbookers over, they go in there to "shop".  So it's really important that it stays tidy.

Stuff had been thrown in to the junk room office by everyone.  Handy Man had been storing tools he used on the bathroom project.  Dancing Daughter tossed in a bag of clothes.  When I asked if they were give-a-ways she said she wasn't sure?!  Then why are they in the office?  The last time I had scrapbookers over I ended up getting stomach sick and sleeping for most of the time they were over.  The chairs just got pushed into the office, instead of being properly stacked.  My mom left her scrapbooking stuff over, which includes her sleeping bag and Elvis pillow, for "next time."

But as overwhelmed as I was, I got busy yesterday.

I put stuff away in their proper places, then I sorted through the paper.  I did it in the living room so I could spread out.

There ended up being one small bag of garbage and two larger bags of recycle.  I also made new files for papers we need to be able to find.  This is a step I usually skip, choosing instead to cram these papers into one of the paper trays on the desk, then we have a hard time finding what we need.  It was so worth the time and effort to do that!

Please notice how empty those paper trays on the desk are!  I wonder if I should just get rid of them so I'm not tempted stuff papers in there?!  If we keep the computer in the common area, I'd like to get rid of the ginormous desk.  I'd also like to paint, the walls are a little stark!

I just love that piece.  I found it for a steal at Fred Meyer.  It holds all my CM inventory, plus handouts, catalogs, order forms and idea books.  I've already started packing for my upcoming scrapbooking weekend at the island so it looks a little bare right now.

The big utility shelf is an eye sore, but it serves as a good storage area for organized photos, memorabilia, art supplies, prizes and give-a-ways for my scrapbookers, computer stuff, etc.

It took most of the day, but I'm very happy with my effort.

What did  you do this weekend?!

This and That

Have you ever started pouring coffee into your mug while it was upside down?  Yeah.

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I  went to the doctor this week for a check up.  Let me say right up front I LOVE this doctor.  There was something about her that oozed "I love my job" and I found that very refreshing.  She told me my symptoms were definitely peri-menopausal and very normal.  For the first time in my life I had a pelvic exam and didn't feel a thing... Did you get that?!  I. Didn't. Feel. A. Thing.  She is going to be Dancing Daughter's doctor too.  My blood pressure was elevated more than she likes to see.  She brought up one of my most dreaded words... Exercise.  She told me just 30 minutes a day could help with that.  I have to go back in 6 months for a re-check and if my blood pressure hasn't gone down through normal means, exercise, she will put me on medication.  I guess I've found my motivation.  I'm still waiting for the results of all the tests.

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Bri-brute, my son's ex g/f, is hanging out with a 19 year old and smoking pot.  This makes me sad, but I have to let go.

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We have mostly completed the bathroom update.  Handy Man still needs to trim out the mirror, hopefully that happens soon so I can share pictures.  Both of us have decided we don't like the light fixture we picked out.  Handy Man was considering taking it down until Dancing Daughter declared how much she loves it, so for now it stays.

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I've decided to try cleaning/organizing/beautifying the office this weekend.  Wish me luck.  I will be taking pictures, as much as it will be mortifying to post the before pics!

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Asthmagirl made sure all my gray hair was turned back to a beautiful reddish brown on Thursday and while I was there I noticed she made lemon cake.  While waiting for the hair color to do it's magic she made the glaze and asked if I'd like to have a piece!!!!  Uh, yeah!  This cake is amazing!  You have to make it and expect it to go fast!  Seriously, it's that good!

Anderson Island - The Scenery

The scenery from this little piece of heaven is spectacular!

The Beach:

For these next shots I used the wide angle lens.  The first on is looking north toward the Olympic Mountains.

Looking west toward the Olympia/Lacey area and the Black Hills.

Looking south toward Nisqually.

The Rocks:

For some reason I love rocks, I always have.  On this beach, if you're lucky and know what you're looking for you can find agates!  I was lucky enough to find one of the largest agates ever captured by my hand!

There are also a fair amount of shells to be found.

I took this shot through the water.  I really like the look of it.

A number of times I sat outside on the deck to read my book and was too distracted by the view.  I dare you not to be distracted!

This picture was taken Saturday evening.  It was still hazy and chilly.

These shots were from Sunday and you can tell there is more sun and warmth!

And finally the view from the ferry on the way home!

I love living in Washington State!

I have many other really great sky shots that I will be using over the next several weeks for Sky Watch Friday, so keep an eye out for those.

Sky Watch

The trees are leafing!  It's definitely spring.

These were taken on Anderson Island in WA state on Sunday April 19.

Go check out other great sky watch shots or maybe add one of your own!

Dueling Hobbitt Feet... My Feet Are Uglier Than Yours

In my first post about being at the island with my friends I mentioned how most of us get our toes done and about how my friend Jennifer brought polish so those that didn't could have the treat of painted toes too.  After wine tasting and dinner she brought out the polish to pretty up Kristin and Jude's toes.  I posted a picture of the polishing and Snooty commented about what great feet I have and that she has Hobbit feet. 

I had to fess up and explain those where not my feet, but my athletic friend's feet and that I too have Hobbit feet.  Through email we decided to post about our Hobbit feet and link each other!

I used to love my feet until I went to the Naturopath complaining about having a very sore knee.  I explained to her how and where it hurt and she said, "Take your shoes off."  She examined my feet and promptly said that my right foot was flat, that the arch had completely fallen.  This was contributing to my painful knee.  I was ordered to get Super Feet inserts from REI.

That was three years ago.  The Super Feet caused a reduction of pain in my knee.  At the time I was working at the Pike Place Market and was on my feet all day, so they were a relief for that.  Unfortunately now I only have them in one pair of shoes, that paired with carrying around too much weight and my knee is in almost constant pain again.

But I got off track, this post is about feet!  So here are mine!

Very wide feet, just like a Hobbit!  I also have extremely large big toe.

Although look at that arch?!  I actually have a little one now.  That's encouraging.

However, let's not talk about those little veins around my ankle.

When I get my feet off the ground and they are no all smooshed out like pancakes, I guess they don't look too bad (except for that honkin' big toe!).  But oh my... I really need to do something about that dry skin on my legs!

So who has more Hobbity feet?  Me or Snooty?

Anderson Island - The Wine

My friends and I will use most any excuse to get together, but the reason for this weekend was all about the wine!  The last time we got together for dinner it seemed like all of us were asking our wine expert (she's an expert because she knows more than us) Sherri about wine.  She suggested we get together for a wine tasting.  We decided to make a weekend of it!

We were instructed to each bring a bottle of our choice, in the $15-$20 range.  Since I like reds and tend to like Merlot better than others that's what I went with.  All of the wine turned out being red, but mostly blends and Kristin brought a $50 bottle, just to see if we could notice a difference.  To take bias out of it we covered all the bottles in brown paper bags and did a blind taste test.

 

 

Sherri brought these very cool glasses...

 

She also brought this...

 

The flavor wheel had all kinds of possible flavors you might smell or taste in your wine.  Did you know you're supposed to smell the wine before you drink?

 

Jennifer is smelling and Sherri is explaining.   Sherri gave us all note paper so we could take notes on each wine.  We recorded smell, taste, finish, legs... Did you know wine has legs?!  I will never have a glass of wine again without looking at it's legs.  To see the legs you swirl it in the glass and watch how it slides down the edge of the glass when you stop swirling.  Some legs will be thick and travel slowly, one of the wines had almost no legs and they separated when moving.  I don't think that's something you want the legs of your wine to do.  Some wines will also color the glass slightly.  Next time you have a glass of red, check it out!  Of course most of you are probably already wine savvy and already knew about smelling and legs.  I'm a little slow sometimes.

Initially I was completely lost.  The first wine smelled, well... it burned my nose.  (That's not me in the picture, but I'm sure I had the same face!)  I didn't know if that was a good or a bad thing, but I went with it.  I couldn't really taste anything specific, except it was spicy.  I thought I smelled pear, but I couldn't be sure.  Number two was very similar to the first one, I really couldn't taste any difference.  I was really hoping I wasn't wine illiterate.  It turns out I wasn't, number three was much different!  It was delicious!  I tasted apricot, it was smooth and had no burn.  It also tasted a little green to me.

Number four was shockingly icky!  I thought it tasted, according to the taste wheel, like petrol (yes the fuel).  It turned out being the worst tasting one to me.  Interestingly the next day I sampled it and it tasted great!  Go figure!

We continued on through all eight wines.  The reveal was very fun!  There were three stand outs for me, including the $50 bottle made by Spring Valley called Frederick.  I also enjoyed a wine from the Columbia Valley made by Dunham Cellars called Trutina.  For a surprise Sherri brought a red Zinfandel made by Rocking Z, it was very tasty!

We decided that next time we will do the tasting by grapes?  It think that's what you call it when you pick one kind, like all Merlot or all Syrah.  I'm just excited there will be a next time!!!

Here's my note page.  Please don't mind the messiness or how I wrote less and less and the tasting when on.

Sherri if you're reading, you'll be interested to hear that I tried some of the Ghost Pines Merlot last night and I liked it!  Wine is crazy, or maybe it's my taste buds.

Until next time my friends, CHEERS!