103 posts from 2009

Random Saturday Stuff

5 days ago
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It is a gorgeous fall day outside today...mid-60's with a light breeze. I love it! I've opened all the windows to air the place out and it feels good. The cats are loving it as well...lounging on the windowsills, smelling outside smells and sleeping in the sun.

Mostly working on getting laundry done - the big stuff, like all the animal blankets and bed covers. Maybe later I will do something exhilarating like clean out the litter boxes or vacuum. Heh. Sometime today or tomorrow I also need to finish going through my clothes. I have sweaters, t-shirts, and shorts left to do.

For entertainment I am watching stupid, thriller-type movies and having romp sessions with the dogs. Sadie LOVES chasing the laser-pointer dot (aka The Dot) around the house. The cats like to join in too...Moo will then grab the nearest toy and chase Sadie with it. She doesn't get The Dot, but she does get that Sadie is playing and so she tries to play with her. Sometimes Moo will decide the kitties are more fun to play with than a toy and then things get a little crazy for a bit. Bonnie doesn't mind, but OP gets a little freaked out. It isn't nice, I know, but it is pretty funny to watch.

While scooping the yard today, I noticed a bunch of small "den" holes all over the side yard and down the hill a ways. I have no idea what made the holes...I am hoping something cute and furry and not slithery with fangs. I'll be keeping an eye out for the residents. It is bigger than an insect type thing (which is good!) and doesn't look like any kind of mole hills I've seen. Maybe a gopher type thing? I don't know. We'll see.

Time to change out the laundry.

Food

6 days ago
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I find people (and by people, I mean people who are mere acquaintances or even perfect strangers...I find I have a different set of 'rules' for people whom I consider friends) who openly admonish another's eating choices to be interesting (in an annoying sort of way). This week while I was on the road, the manager of the branch I was reviewing caught me eating a Clif Bar for breakfast. She very quickly jumped into a diatribe about how much sugar they had in them and how I really ought to be eating something else. She then went to her office and came back with three different "protein" bars that she likes.

Two were Special K bars...one was their meal bar, the other a smaller "snack bar"...and the third was an Atkins Advantage bar. What I had to explain to her was a) I wasn't eating the Clif Bar as a "protein" supplement or anything like that...that it was simply my way of getting some nutrition in me in the mornings when I am on the road (I really don't do breakfast...ever). And that b) though the Clif Bar maybe has more sugars and thus a few more calories in it, it has WAY less fat, more potassium and less sodium than any of the bars she was offering me (the Atkins bar is only 170 calories, but of that 100 are from fat...in my opinion, unless you are actually ON the Atkins diet, this is not really the way you want to be eating on a regular basis). Of course, my most adamant argument with all foods, was that my Clif Bar was made with "real food" ingredients...like organic rolled oats, organic soy beans, and sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup and the other myriad of unpronounceable ingredients in her bars. And because my bar was packed full of real soy and rolled oats, it actually filled me up rather than me having to try to pretend I was full after eating a much smaller, much more chemical bar. I mean really, why does a protein bar need dye in it?

Anyway, I am sure she thought I was nuts, but in the end conceded that I did know about what I was eating and took her bars back to her office.

She is a nice enough lady and we got along great regardless of the crazy food incident, but it isn't the first time that has come up during my travels. I am also somewhat amused because she was telling me about her personal training sessions and how she is disappointed that she isn't loosing more weight with the work she's been putting in. I kept my mouth shut and just did the generalized sympathizing thing, but if I remember correctly, sugar is much easier to burn overall than fat is...and based on the way she told me she was eating these protein bars (like in between meals rather than as meal substitutes) I wasn't all that surprised that she wasn't shedding the pounds.

I mean, it is all in moderation, right. If all I eat is sugar and no fat, I will still have issues. Whatever. You go do what you think is best for you, and I will go do what I think is best for me. Now, if we could just get an electrician to call us back so I could have use of my treadmill once again...

Labs

6 days ago
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This morning as I took first Moo then Sadie out for their mid morning potty breaks there was a TON of crashing through the bushes down in the clearing. Finally, I caught a glimpse of two, very happy, very free yellow labs! LOL They both look healthy - one is definitely younger than the other. My guess is maybe mom and kid or something like that. The younger one was bouncing and jumping on the other one and putting on play moves. The older one was just enjoying being out and smelling smells.

I called to them, but they just looked up at me and then went romping off the other way. I will check around this afternoon while I am out and about to make sure there aren't any posters up looking for them. And I will check to see if they are still around this afternoon/evening...if so, I will try to entice them with some food and will put an old dog bed and some blankets on the patio for them since it is getting really chilly overnight.

Sadie wanted to go play with them - Moo didn't see them, but I think she smelled them because she got into an excited play stance too.

I am hoping they live around here and just made a quick break for it and will be back home safe and sound soon! Seeing them has made me realize that I am really not set up to help pups if they come along. I am not sure how Moo would be with another dog or dogs in her house...she definitely gets scared-agressive toward unknown people. I wouldn't have worried about dogs except after the attack by the neighbor dog, I think she is more on edge about that sort of thing now. Hopefully, we won't ever have to find out, but I'd also like to be more able to help if dogs came along that really needed it. I guess it is time to finally get around to cleaning out the garage...if I do, there is plenty of safe shelter room out there.

I got hung up on...

Oct 29, 2009
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in favor of the pizza delivery guy. Joy.

Finally...

Oct 2, 2009
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I'm feeling human again. The Crud seems to have finally lost its grip. My chest is still tight...feels like I can't get a full breath, but no coughing and my sinuses are back to their normal level of stuffy (allergies and all).

I still owe Amanda one more "word" entry...maybe I will get around to that this weekend sometime.

Tomorrow will be full of exciting things - mostly yard work. I need to move one of the abelia, it isn't happy in the full-on sunshine. It gets too hot here for it in the summer. I have a good spot on the side of the house where the other two are that should make it happier. Next spring I will get a couple more crape myrtles to finish off the front lot line where the abelia used to be.

After that, I need to pound fertilizer stakes in around all the other trees and shrubs. Once that is done it is on to wrapping the water pipe and re-insulating the wall where the broken one from last winter was replaced. Maybe I will even attempt to patch the sheet rock. Maybe.

Last but not least, I need to clean out my garage. The spiders are in full-force this fall...I need to get them cleaned out of the indoors areas (black widows galore out there - eek!). I also need to figure out a way to store the plastic wading pool that the dogs use. I want to somehow hang it from the ceiling, but that may be a project I need additional hands to accomplish.

Good times! After all that I might try to get around to cleaning out my closets - I need to figure out what fits (ugh) and what doesn't. I have to be realistic, I have a lot of stuff that I will never fit into again. Once I get through it all I will bag it up and haul it off to Goodwill. I also have a filing cabinet that should go. We'll see...that might wait until next weekend.

Costco & other retail adventures

Sep 19, 2009
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Seriously - I know better than to go grocery shopping when I am hungry...so what WAS I thinking going to Costco in such a state?!? Actually, with this cold thing I have going on, I didn't feel hungry when I left the house, but judging from what I brought back, I must have been - in fact, I had to make two trips through because so much of what I got was canned or in glass containers. I could barely push the cart at the end of round one! (I do partially blame Neil, though, he wanted a case of Prosecco which is what I had to go back for due to weight and size of a case of wine.)

I must have also been dehydrated. Ha! I have more bubbly water in varying flavors and brands than I know what to do with. I am excited, though, I found some organic raw cheddar there - I am hoping it is good. It is made "locally" in Redmond, WA (which is local to my family and to Costco's headquarters LOL). I also grabbed a box of Clif bars - I need to start taking some sort of portable protein with me when I travel for work. I rarely eat breakfast because it usually makes me nauseous (on the road breakfast constitutes a cup of coffee and a banana) and then half the time I end up working through lunch...so by the end of the day I am totally fried because of lack of any nutrition other than coffee. Hopefully, these will help a little with that.

I also got a box of vitamin C packet things...aside from trying to kick whatever I have now, tis the season and I should try to better fortify my immune system.

Other than food (mostly dry goods, but I got a couple lovely salmon sides and some ahi steaks), I restocked on cleaning supplies and paper products and some toiletries. Of course, I forgot to stock up on yogurt for Neil (I can't stand the stuff, personally) and cream cheese for the bagels. I guess tomorrow I will make another quick trip to the grocery store. I was literally out of everything...

Aside from restocking my larder, I also ordered kibble (Pet Food Direct), salmon oil & flea goo (Costco) for the dogs; for the cats I got some toys and a second litter pan (OP, it turns out, is VERY particular about his box being clean which is a bit of a problem when I am gone for a couple nights), and some tartar control toothpaste for the pooches (Drs Foster & Smith).

I had to get a new laptop bag because OP decided the one in the office here made a good option as a litter box while I was out of town last week. Thank goodness there wasn't anything important in it! I ordered two that will be here Monday - same bag in tan and also orange. It was hard to tell what either color really looked like in the photos, so we'll see. One will be returned - eBags is an awesome place to shop online for bags of pretty much any kind. they often have free shipping deals and usually have prices comparable or better than what I see in retail stores. And their returns are free (i.e. shipping is included in the return label you can print from their website).

So, aside from an oil change and a trip to the vet for Bonnie and Sadie (annual shots), I am DONE spending any more money for a good long while. I have to start saving up for new tires for the truck later this fall - that is going to put a serious, serious dent in my budget.

Five Words Meme - Photography

Sep 5, 2009
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Only two more to go!!

This one is a fun one...I grew up around photography. My dad loved it and was always taking pictures (my mom has about 30 photo albums full to prove it! LOL) - he even built himself a small dark room when I was a kid. I remember my first camera was a 110mm tiny little point and shoot thing. I want to say it was a kit/build-your-own sort of thing, though I am not sure if my memory is serving me right. It would be fitting though, since almost everything we had or did as kids started out as something to build (airplanes, trains, dollhouses, etc.).

When I was in 7th grade I took a photography class where we learned to develop black and white film and such. I think I must have borrowed my dad's camera for the class, because at that point, I don't remember having one of my own. I am not sure what happened after that...right around that time is when I seemed to have stopped taking pictures. I mean, not completely, I have handfuls here and there of events and such, but then nothing for a long time. And as I think back, most of the photos I have from that era were taken by other folks.

Neil is the reason I got back into photography. (He takes wonderful photos... particularly portrait types.) I got myself a digital camera and started shooting again...most of my subjects were whatever was convenient - fish, Sadie, birds at the feeder outside. Hmmm that sounds pretty much like what I still do! I finally splurged and got my DSLR...which, even as little as I've picked it up lately, was one of the best investments I've made.

I needed something to do...and photography was already something I liked, I could do it with Neil, or I could do it on my own. I am not a social person by nature; in fact, I am a downright hermit unless forced. The camera has given me a shield to hide behind when I am out and about. I am not sure I am any more social than before, but I am more likely to get out once in a while. And I am proud of a lot of my work - it seems I have finally found something that I have a little natural talent for (that I can do on a regular basis - I was very good at playing the flute, but it isn't exactly an easy pastime to keep up with). Granted, I have a lot to learn and a long way to go, but I find more and more these days that I don't end up needing much post-processing...and that ultimately is my goal. I mean anyone can learn to use Photoshop...I want to learn to take a good photo. I will admit that all of my photos are taken in color, so any black and whites or sepia toned ones have been processed, but I find with digital, they come out better that way rather than using the settings on the camera.

The other great thing with photography is that (though it can be) it doesn't have to be an expensive hobby. More just one-time costs with the digital world and then you can shoot to your heart's desire. Don't get me wrong, I am currently lusting after the Canon 24-105mm f/4 L IS. I made the mistake awhile back of finding a great deal on a wide angle L series lens...and then I learned how much of a difference they make in color, sharpness, and general clarity of the pictures. Right now I use the 28-135mm IS...this one will eventually replace it as my all purpose lens. Someday. Heh. Even Neil had not really played with the L lenses until the wide angle. He now sports the nice big 100-400mm! (It is fantastic for bird shots!) LOL So now, instead of a normal girly obsession like say shoes, I lust after glass.

I share almost all my photos on Flickr, which I love as a hosting website. (I hope they don't fall part now that they are owned by Yahoo...but I guess time will tell.) It is handy since my family is all the way across the country and my friends are spread all over it. Hopefully the curious will see some things they like there, that they find pretty, or intriguing, or silly...I figure, if I have in some way captured the attention of someone with one of my images, then I have been successful.

Last up:

~ marriage

Five Words Meme - Pets

Sep 4, 2009
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Since I was a slacker last night...I will now finish the remaining words for this meme!

Pets? What pets? Ohhhhh I think you mean my kids!

Seriously, that is what my pets are to me...they are family. I can't imagine my life without them. I grew up with cats (and a few hamsters) - before my sister was born, our cat Dukie was my best friend (according to mom anyway, I was only 2!). There were a couple years in there, right around the time I moved east, that I didn't have any cats. I can't tell you how empty the house seemed even with Sadie around. Cats snuggle like nothing else can. They are always around without always being _right there_. They don't need a ton of work, and their personalities amuse me to no end! I have NEVER had two cats even remotely alike.

Bandit & Mr. Mouser

I am still devastated that my boys have gone missing. My head is always full of the what-ifs...'what-if I had just made them stay inside' is the most recurring one. But, then I remind myself that Mr M and Bandit never did acclimate to being indoor-only kitties. And no matter how much I loved them, I could not have them destroying my house with cat urine. Clyde, is the hardest to reconcile in my head. He was OK being inside, though he was also the one to make a mad dash for the door whenever it opened. And I tell myself that it wouldn't have been fair to keep him inside while the other boys got to go out. It has helped a little seeing the snake on the patio - if nothing else, it has offered some closure. I know I am not a "bad" kitty mommy...but it is hard not to feel like it when they all disappear in such a short time-span. And even after all the heartache, if another stray showed up on my doorstep, I would not turn it away. Even if I couldn't get it to acclimate to being indoors. This time, though, the other cats still have to stay inside.

Cuteness

To help fill the void, and to keep Bonnie company while I am away on business and the dogs are not at home, I adopted OP. It was a little bit of an adjustment, but now he is right at home here. And he is a snuggler! He now shows up in my bed around 2am each night and purrs...and is usually still purring when my alarm goes off around 6. He likes to get right up next to me, but thankfully, seems to have no interest in sleeping on my head. Bonnie is the aloof one...she has her moments of absolute NEED. Love me now! But mostly she is content to simply hang out in whatever room we are in. Usually you can find her curled up sleeping in a corner.

Sleepy

My mom was never a 'dog person', so we never had a dog when I was a kid. I got Sadie as a "present" from an old boyfriend (just before he dumped me...nice, huh?) She was a pound puppy and around 4 months old when I got her. I did everything wrong that you possibly could when it came to raising her, but in the end, I lucked out. She is the sweetest, most neurotic, gentle dog I've ever met. By neurotic, I mean quirky - for instance, she sleeps under the bed whenever I leave the house. Yup! She can actually get herself under a bed! She will put on the biggest show ever, when we get ready to leave the house...including chattering her teeth. She won't go outside to potty if it is raining out. She doesn't like it if it is too hot out. But, everyone who has ever met her adores her...including my non-dog person mom.

Marly

Then there is Marly-Moo. The Moo-dog. She got her name from an old song about a prostitue - Lili Marlene...which then got shortened to Marly. The nickname Moo came at around 9 months old when she was growing faster than any dog alive. It has since become what we call her because EVERY person who asks what her name is, then asks if she was named after the dog from the book/movie Marley and Me. I get tired of explaining that no, she was not.

Before I moved, I also had fish - a couple bettas and a 75 gallon African cichlid aquarium. They fascinated me. Who knew fish had individual personalities? They were amazing to watch (which I used to spend hours doing). I have thought about rebuilding the aquarium here, but I don't really have a place in the house to put it and the work it took to maintain it takes more time and energy than I have these days. There are photos of my fish here.

I'm seeing spots!

Last but not least are my wild pets - deer, birds, possums, and all other manner of critters that live in my yard and in the woods behind it. Even the freakin' copperhead I couldn't bring myself to kill. (OK, I admit, there was no way on Earth I was going to open the back door with it right there, but still...) Slowly but surely I am building a little bird sanctuary in the yard. And the deer, though I don't do anything outright to help them, they help themselves to the tasty greenery in the yard...and I am sure as soon as I get a garden growing, I will be sharing that too!

I have always loved animals and will never understand people who can harm and abuse them in any way. And yes, someday, I probably will be that crazy cat lady who lives at the end of the street that all the kids talk about!

Next up:

~photography

~marriage

Five Words Meme - Pacific Northwest & Food

Sep 3, 2009
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This meme ended up getting posted in different parts because my answers got too long! The words are from Amanda...feel free to comment if you'd like me to give you five words to write about.

~ Pacific Northwest & Food (really, the two do go hand-in-hand!)

The first thing that comes to mind is "home". Though that isn't really very accurate since Charlotte truly feels like home to me now...it is just that my family is all back in the PNW. I love the area - having both mountains and sea right there and if you go far enough east, there is also high desert. If you like the outdoors, I can't think of a better place to live - there is no place like it anywhere.

Gig Harbor in June

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However, I do not miss the many, many grey and dreary days. Folks ask me if it "really rains that much in Seattle" and the answer is yes. But it isn't rain like most east-coasters think of...instead it is the misty, grey drizzle you might think of if you pictured London. I lived in the PNW most of my life. Moved to the Portland, OR area when I was four and then from there to the Seattle area when I was 16. I spent my college and adult years around the Seattle area until three years ago when I moved across the country.

port cranes

I will always have a soft spot for Washington. In fact, my favorite place anywhere is the Bellingham/San Juan Island area. If I were to ever move back, that would be the place! I still need to go on a whale-watching tour up there to see the killer whale pods when they are migrating.

Of course the other things that come to mind...and segue into the next word (FOOD)... are salmon, seafood, Alaskan king crab. There is so much fresh seafood and fish available there. The sad thing is that I don't like most seafood. But I do looooooove fish; salmon in particular. I never knew what I would be missing until I moved out to the East Coast; it was the first time I ever encountered/ingested farmed salmon. Holy cow it is disgusting. In fact, a friend of mine who never liked salmon is coming to find out that she never liked FARMED salmon. I have introduced her to Alaskan wild caught salmon...my grocery store has even finally started carrying it. For the first couple years here I was ordering it online from a company in Washington and having it shipped. I probably still will order it because they have such great products and they come frozen in single serving sizes which is perfect for me with all the travel I do, but it is nice to know I can also grab some while I get other groceries if I need to. Even Neil, who doesn't particularly like fish in general, is growing on it. However, I did learn last night, that he does not like traditionally prepared fish dished (i.e. baked). He likes it grilled or smoked or pan fried. I think he likes the drier end result. Live and learn - next time I will grill it.

Farmers Market Loot

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I am a firm believer in supporting my local farmers and buying fresh foods. When I can, I try to make it out to our local farmers market. I am also hoping to get some raised beds built this fall so that I can grow my own little garden. We'll see - the project is budget and time dependent.

I think more people need to pay better attention to what they are ingesting. I think many of today's health issues are due to over processing of foods and the chemicals we absorb from them. Don't get me wrong...I still like my Dairy Queen frozen deserts from time to time. ;-) But homemade ice cream is SO much tastier. LOL

Neil was listening to a conversation on talk radio the other day about how 40 years ago soda was a treat, not something to be offered with every meal which got us to thinking about our own habits. Even when I was a kid, we only got soda on special occasions. We are trying to go back to those ways - Neil has committed to having only "one sugary drink per day". My will-power is not that strong yet, but I have stopped buying soda to keep in the house. Instead, I get flavored bubbly water (La Croix - usually in either lime or grapefruit). And sometimes I still buy some Jones Cola (it is made with cane sugar rather than corn syrup) - but at least it isn't a half rack of it every week!

Project365.43: Shrimp & Salad

My other big push lately is to cook and eat more often at home. Personally, I am burned out on eating out all the time. The travel associated with my job has sort of squashed the pleasure in it for me (haha squashed...get it? *groan*). Again, though, that is something that ought to be a special occasion thing, not an everyday thing. Tonight we are grilling kabobs (I think). My goal: sure, I really need to lose some weight, but more importantly to me, is getting healthier. The biggest part of that is eating better. (Yeah, yeah...I know, there is that exercise thing that should go in there too, but that wasn't a word given to me to write about. Thank goodness!)

Soon to follow:

~pets

~photography

~marriage

Almost there...

Sep 2, 2009
3 comments

My refi is scheduled to close on the 21st. Yay! After hearing the horror story behind a friend's recent refi, I did make sure they did the escrows correctly. I shouldn't have to bring much (if anything) to closing. The best part is that the internal service we use sends a notary to my home with the docs to be signed!

OP is a total snuggle-cat. If I am watching TV, he is in my lap snuggling. If I am working in the office, he is either in my lap or in the chair smushed up behind me....snuggling. At night, I find him wedged either between me and Neil or if he isn't here, between me and the Moo. I do also catch him romping with Bonnie, which is good. I imagine my being gone for a week will have him be extra snuggly when I return! (I do have folks checking in on the kitties while I am away...)

I might get to go away for Christmas... Part of me is excited to see someplace new. The other part of me really just wants to stay home with the pups and hang out. Especially since it looks like I have more travel coming up again this next quarter. I am torn.

OK time for one last phone interview and then I am done with this branch...whhhheeeeeee!