Done

Today I finished my organizing and cleaning for my mom's visit. The dusting was probably the worst since I kept seeing the black smut kind of stuff and all I could think about was the smokers below killing me slowly. They were outside today when I left for dinner and they had 2 little dogs. I wonder how long the dogs will live. I also started thinking about Miya and how un-cat proof my apartment is. I moved the eucalyptus and some of the plants. I hope she doesn't dump too many things over. She will look for all the places she can climb/jump on and get as high as possible. Who knows what she'll get into.

Ate: Nachos
Drank: Margarita

Visited: Raphael and I got to catch up some over dinner

Suitcases

Funny how excited one can get about "stuff". I am in love with my new suitcase. It's an Eagle Creek and it's blue. I was in the container store using my gift card that was at least 3 years old and I spotted this lovely. It only weighs @7 lbs. I also got one of their folding sets and I might use to fold all my clothes in my house. I love when stuff is all folded nicely. So I didn't buy it immediately because it's a big purchase. I am going to buy the large one in a few months because I really can't bring myself to drop that kind of cash on suitcases so I am going to stretch it out. I also have suitcases so I needed more time to come up with my justifications. First, I am replacing my small suitcase with the one I bought today. It was too small for more than 2 nights and I always needed a little bag for shoes/toilettries. I am going to give it to my niece for her travel. Second I will replace my large suitcase which, I think, is 14 years old. I bought it at Target while I was in California visiting a friend and I had to get a suitcase to get it all my goodies home. Since then it has been to Belgium many times, Switzerland, Holland, France, Portugal, Spain, Germany, California, Boston, Florida, and a few places in between. It has had bottles of port break and leak in it, it has been lost, it has been taken over by cats, it has been packed way beyond it's limits, thrown, banged up and always just kept on going. The zipper is just starting to fail and so I plan to replace it with the larger version of this bag before I take my week long vacation in the spring. I am going to retire my bag at goodwill. What I think I will miss most about my big case is the faded sticker of the crabby patty that my niece put on it about 6-7 years ago. I would see it come off the belt at the airport and I knew it was mine. *Sigh*

Listening: Today was a Taylor Swift Day - all day
Eating: I had a crabcake sandwich with sweet potato fries and in my mind it's a crabby patty
Feeling: Excited about my purchase and using it on my lil trips planned for fun this spring/summer
Need: To start getting this place organized for my mom's visit. I have been out every night this week and so the weekend is going to be less than relaxing trying to clean and make space in this tiny place for another human
Thinking: Wow my gas/electric bill was cheap considering it's been cold and I've been here a lot. Yeah - little tiny apartment. I'd rather spend money on a new suitcase than the utilities
Enjoying: The fact that my bra is off
Wondering: When I'm going to read all of these books - especially since I just ordered 3 more.
Internet Find: www.pandora.com It's not a new find but I love it.

Fix + New Jewelry

I'm going to take some pictures tomorrow. I'm too tired tonight. It was a fun time. The apartment was very cool and had beautiful paintings. I was greeted by sweet little furry friends and mixed up some cape coders with the new vodka I picked up. We also had Thai from my favorite place. We fixed a couple of my pieces and I made a really pretty necklace thanks to my bud and all her cool stuff. She was very generous with her supplies, beads, and skills. She has a great sense of style. I need to give her a nickname but I'll wait for it to come to me.

She thought it was funny I was calling it a party but anytime there are drinks, women and food - it's a party. I really don't require all of those to call a gathering a party but those are 3 great components in my book.

Now I want a pink cashmere sweater to wear with my new necklace.

Listening: tonight we listened to music but I only recognized one song and it was a tear jerker.
Feeling: Happy about the home computer thing because I'm doing better with my goal to blog but also sending some e-mails and getting in touch a little better.
Need: to wash my face - I am getting zits just sitting here and wow it's like a forest is popping up.
Thinking: I might be allergic to cats - not 100% and not feeling any weird signs but because I usually do feel some reaction at my mom's, I'm curious.
Enjoying: all my new jewels
Wondering: how my next project will turn out. So much has been sitting in a box and with the help, I am thinking I'll finish the next one this weekend.
Internet Finds: www.crystalheadvodka.com

I am loving the new pillows and the handmade pillow cases I found. I usually sleep with 2 pillows all piled up and they have be in a certain way. The new ones are firmer than I'm use to but now I just lay it flat and it works great.



The pillow cases were found at the boutique for only $3 and if I had found them in an antique store they would have been at least $10 more. I want to learn to do the pretty flowers.


I bought these little mushrooms. Not sure why. they are cute with little forks to pick up cheese and fruit. Just going to leave them out and see what happens with them. Weird.



Listening: All About Your Heart (Mindy Gledhill)

Feeling: excited about a work project I'm starting and can be alittle creative with. Looking for some inspiration.

Need: Lotion - ran out, bought some that smells good but it's not enough for this dry skin.

Thinking: About the stuff I need to pack for tomorrow's jewelry party.

Enjoying: Nuttella

Wondering: When I'm going to download all my pictures to the external drive I bought. It's over a month old and I still haven't taken the plastic package.

Internet Find: www.foodzie.com - I'm thinking about getting a subscription and try it out. Looks delicious.

Head

Headshots. I was told that there were no good pictures of me for a work project and I was to get a decent headshot. That is easier said than done. See I got some issues. Between the crooked teeth that have gotten worse and do weird things in different light and the eye thing where my muscle has moved and it is almost impossible to keep it open in a picture. It is also getting worse. Braces and Glasses - just what every 16, I mean 39 year old wants. Here's what I came up with. I obviously took it myself and it took some concentration. Yes that is my shower curtain and I was sitting on the side of the tub.
Wow our noses really do keep growing.
This weekend had a little bit of adventure. Bentley took me to what was suppose to be salvage yard to find a part. It turned out to be junk yard. I was not feeling it. They wouldn't let me take my purse even though it's easy enough to understand that I'm not going to put a dirty, old part inside my $200. purse. What kind of logic would that be.

It really was a bad place and there was a lot frustration. Not me, Bentley. Coco was sitting in the car and I had this vision of some dog fighters stealing him for bait. I couldn't take it anymore so I waited with him in the car. He may be a killer when he's on his own property, but in the car, he is a sweet, slobbering old man dog.

Listening: Nora Jones

Feeling: Ready for a vacation - just booked some flights and very excited.

Need: To put my laundry up

Thinking: Tomorrow is a full day and I gotta iron something before I go to bed

Enjoying: The eucalyptus I bought - but I don't have anything to put it in.

Wondering: if the new pillows will be good.

Internet Find: http://www.pinkofperfection/

Wa - Chawa

Beyond sleepy but I must type something into this computer so that I can continue to blog. it's one of those things that you need to do to start a habit. I'm going to start/stop other habits but I can't think about all that right now. I am going to sleep until I wake up naturally tomorrow morning. If I am awoken by my smoking azz neighbors I am not sure what will happen. Keep the bail money ready. Yes I might just mention it everyday because it sends me over the edge. I was excited to find out that my relatively new friend is moving the jewelry making night so I can attend. I haven't even attempted to make anything much less fix broken stuff in so long. Gonna be fun fun fun.
Listening: Legally Blond (watching too)
Feeling: Better than yesterday and will continue to feel better since it's Friday night.
Need: to get my eyes checked again. the muscle is worse and the same eye twitches ALL THE TIME and has for MONTHS. No wonder I'm on edge sometimes - my vision goes nutts when my eye starts and it last for a long time (sometimes)
Thinking: I have no plans this weekend but I'm starting to feel like there is something I should be doing. Can't think of what it would be... maybe tomorrow, once I've slept, I'll be able to think clearly.
Enjoying: These new bamboo cotton socks - I wanted to get more but they were $14.00 and that is ridiculous. It is not happening. I will just wash this in the sink and wear them every other day
Wondering: Where did all my tea light candles go? Vanilla of course. i must have used them so I'll have to get some more. Love them because they are pretty safe in that you won't fall asleep and them burn anything down. they just go out.
Internet Find: Fairy Shoes - YIPPEEE: http://www.etsy.com/shop/fairysteps?ref=seller_info
When my baybaby makes his first million, I'm quitting my job and I'm going to wear fairy shoes everyday and body glitter and little butterflies painted over my sun spot on my cheekbone. that is going to be the life. Wa Chawa!

One of those Days

Just not feeling it. In a bad mood all day and every little thing was an irritant. here is my list:
Listening: Hum of the fan on the computer
Eating: Had left over Chinese
Wearing: you guessed it
Feeling: like I've got ocean water in my eyes and sand in my bathing suit - irritated
Need: to get over it
Thinking: someone needs to clean up this place. I wonder how much it would cost for someone to clean 480 sq feet...
Enjoying :NOTHING ok that's a little dramatic - having heat since it's turned cold again
Wondering: Friday will be better... wondering and stating so it will be true
Internet Find: I can't even pretend to be interested in the Internet right now but I'm sure I'll find something neat this weekend.

Grandmammas

2 very cool ladies. As I get older I think more about them as women instead of just grandma's. They both taught me some pretty interesting stuff. They were different in some ways like Gma K was independent, worked out side the home, drove, lived a lone for many years. Gma N only worked out side the home for a little while, didn't drive and I don't think she lived a lone even once. Gma K lost her body and not her mind and Gma N lost her mind and not her body. I was closer to Gma N when I was little (limited competition) and Gma K was more in touch with teenagers (she also was better at saying No).

The had a lot in common with having outliving their husbands, some how doing all those chores to keep their house running with a bunch of kids and grandkids and I really don't ever remember hearing them complain. They both loved their stories and didn't really appreciate being interrupted when they were on. They both lost babies and talked about it when some didn't and the kids they had were spanned over many years. Neither one of them would take much crap off anyone and I think they both had a little bit of the crazy gene that has been passed down. They both had homes that people wanted to be in and were the best cooks ever.

I have some great memories being with both of them and I also learned some lessons by being around them when adult stuff was going on. I grew up within a few miles of both of them and got to see them regularly. I think I memorized their phone numbers before I did my own. They were not in each other's circles but they did get a long. I had a great sense of family from both sides. I go by their houses when I'm home and driving around and it's like it was just a few months ago even though it has really been YEARS. I wish I had them longer. They were so matter a fact about what needed to be done and just doing it. I want to be like that.

Listening: American Idol in Austin Texas

Eating: I met some of my girls for italian and had so much pasta and cheese I'll be recovering for days - ohh and some awesome cheese cake - can I get a little more cheese.

Wearing - I have worn heels for 2 days and tomorrow is a clog day - i've had enough

Feeling: in my own head because my mouth was moving from 8:30 - 7:30

Need: Sleep

Thinking: about my grandmas for some reason. I guess because I'm starting to work on some of the things I want to be better at things that seemed so natural to them.

Enjoying: Cookbooks. Haven't start actually cooking anything from them but getting some ideas

Wondering: nothing because my brain hurts too much

Internet Find: www.milasdaydreams.blogspot.com

This woman takes the best pictures of her little girl sleeping with all kind of sets. Love it.

We have movement. Little green is peeking. I was starting to worry. I think there will a lot of movement now. I don't remember the kind of bulb it is. I think it has Christmas in the title. I had to use a big vase since it's about 100 times bigger then the bulbs I usually force and the bulb vases are all too small.

So much to do tomorrow. A day of non-stop talking. I get exhausted on days I have to talk all day.

Listening: the evil voices in my head that replay about my smoking neighbor that came by today. YUK

Drinking: water - I hope I don't pee in the bed tonight

Wearing: stripped PJ pants, tank and my new favorite shirt - such soft cotton

Feeling: like the drinking question needs to go unless of course I am drinking something interesting.

Need: To come home at lunch more. It was nice to be here during the daylight and to straighten up some so it was nice when I came home.

Thinking: I've got too much stuff on this desk (home) and how does it keep creeping up on me.

Enjoying: You Tube - love all these crazy people but I wonder if they realize they may have to get a real job one day and that the internet is FOREVER or until all the computers crash and we go back to drawing in the sand because all of the trees are gone.

Wondering: What I should do to celebrate my niece rockin her report card.

Internet Find: Bags made out of recycled materials: www.ecoist.com