Memorial Day outing.
Tuesday, May 31, 2005
Mammas don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys...
Printer maintenance guy hasn't shown up yet. First thing this morning work slaps me in the face with a stinging thwack! I successfully blocked all work related thoughts out of my head for the last 72 hours. Already the 2D07 printer crisis has reared it's head and I'm none too thrilled, so I take two steps backward and encourage Gweena BoBeena (Hell, it is her birthday anyway...) to take charge of the situation. Not that she needs much encouragement, control freak that she is. Of course, since I was so successful blocking work thoughts, I successfully forgot today was her b-day, and didn't get a card, potluck item, gift, etc. Stuck with the old lame-o Hallmark E-Card that screams, "When you care enough to send the very best, but you just forgot, so here's an animated card...that's quick and cheap."
Word(s) of the day: THWACK
Lexie log: Awesome weekend. The longer the better. Saturday we spent the afternoon at Gramma Betty's. My favorite, sitting on the front porch watching Lex chase dog and ducks, talking with Daddy, Betty, PattyAnn, and Jay. Saturday morning at about 9:30am, Grammy and Grandpa Dale arrived at our house. We all piled into the Accord and drove to the Quatama Max station. Lexie's first Max train ride. She was excited the moment the train showed up. We got to the next station before Daddy asked if I had locked the car. Nope. A day on faith that no one will target the shiny dark blue 2005 Honda. Phew. Lexie loved the train ride, and Grandpa Dale took on role of keeping an eye on the hyper, hungry, bottle of curious energy. At the first couple of stops she bolted for the door, ya know, any opening door is an open invitation. It was a fun trip. She did have a tantrum for a while when she couldn't go every where she wanted to go, and had to have a semi-nap relax period of me holding her before we arrived at Pioneer square. We walked across the square, and then up to Pioneer Place. None of the stores were open yet, but we headed for the food court and had breakfast and Starbucks coffee. Then we headed up the elevator to the Bose store and Grampa, Daddy, and I checked out the sound systems while Grammy and Lexie did laps. Next it was on to the scooter store, then Sharper Image. By that point I had easily spent an imaginary $9297.00 dollars. Daddy and I test drove the supreme ultimate massage chair. I still can't think about it without shaking my head in amazement. I don't know how I'm going to manage it, but I will have one of those someday. We went on every floor, up and down all the escalator, went through the under-street tunnel, over the skybridge. It was great. Then we walked up to Finnegan's toy store. Daddy bought me a mini-kite from a street vendor. I can't wait to try it out. The vendor was flying one at the corner, so cool. Then we spent 45 minutes in the toy store. She loved this little bug house tent and Thomas train set. We got her a battery operate light toy called the "Meteor Storm". She loves it. Then it was time for the train home. She was asleep before we got to the zoo. She napped all the way back to Beaverton. Then yesterday, we took a Memorial Day outing to Multnomah falls. She loved the falls. Made me nervous on the bridge at Multnomah Falls. She kept wanting to stick her head between the railing, and she's just small enough to fit through. Oi, even typing in now gives my stomach butterflies. She slept on the way home from that fun journey also. That morning she started having a cough, and Daddy predicted a cold. He was dead on. Last night her cold became croupe, so we have a live-in seal baby. The cough is so, I don't know how to describe it. It's almost cute in this, "poor baby, you sound just like a little seal, I hope you feel ok," way. She had two children's grape flavored chewable Tylenol last night. When I left this morning, she was burning up, but she refused to take more Tylenol. I hope Daddy is able to persuade her to take some. Fun day ahead for Daddy. At least we're prepared since we've been through this before. She slept in our bed with the cool air humidifier running all night. Tiki sleeps up by her head and wakes up with a coating of mist all over his fur.
Today I'm grateful for Frank and Lexie, long weekends with outings, chewable Tylenol and humidifiers, window tint, water, massage chairs, and stuff.
Word(s) of the day: THWACK
Lexie log: Awesome weekend. The longer the better. Saturday we spent the afternoon at Gramma Betty's. My favorite, sitting on the front porch watching Lex chase dog and ducks, talking with Daddy, Betty, PattyAnn, and Jay. Saturday morning at about 9:30am, Grammy and Grandpa Dale arrived at our house. We all piled into the Accord and drove to the Quatama Max station. Lexie's first Max train ride. She was excited the moment the train showed up. We got to the next station before Daddy asked if I had locked the car. Nope. A day on faith that no one will target the shiny dark blue 2005 Honda. Phew. Lexie loved the train ride, and Grandpa Dale took on role of keeping an eye on the hyper, hungry, bottle of curious energy. At the first couple of stops she bolted for the door, ya know, any opening door is an open invitation. It was a fun trip. She did have a tantrum for a while when she couldn't go every where she wanted to go, and had to have a semi-nap relax period of me holding her before we arrived at Pioneer square. We walked across the square, and then up to Pioneer Place. None of the stores were open yet, but we headed for the food court and had breakfast and Starbucks coffee. Then we headed up the elevator to the Bose store and Grampa, Daddy, and I checked out the sound systems while Grammy and Lexie did laps. Next it was on to the scooter store, then Sharper Image. By that point I had easily spent an imaginary $9297.00 dollars. Daddy and I test drove the supreme ultimate massage chair. I still can't think about it without shaking my head in amazement. I don't know how I'm going to manage it, but I will have one of those someday. We went on every floor, up and down all the escalator, went through the under-street tunnel, over the skybridge. It was great. Then we walked up to Finnegan's toy store. Daddy bought me a mini-kite from a street vendor. I can't wait to try it out. The vendor was flying one at the corner, so cool. Then we spent 45 minutes in the toy store. She loved this little bug house tent and Thomas train set. We got her a battery operate light toy called the "Meteor Storm". She loves it. Then it was time for the train home. She was asleep before we got to the zoo. She napped all the way back to Beaverton. Then yesterday, we took a Memorial Day outing to Multnomah falls. She loved the falls. Made me nervous on the bridge at Multnomah Falls. She kept wanting to stick her head between the railing, and she's just small enough to fit through. Oi, even typing in now gives my stomach butterflies. She slept on the way home from that fun journey also. That morning she started having a cough, and Daddy predicted a cold. He was dead on. Last night her cold became croupe, so we have a live-in seal baby. The cough is so, I don't know how to describe it. It's almost cute in this, "poor baby, you sound just like a little seal, I hope you feel ok," way. She had two children's grape flavored chewable Tylenol last night. When I left this morning, she was burning up, but she refused to take more Tylenol. I hope Daddy is able to persuade her to take some. Fun day ahead for Daddy. At least we're prepared since we've been through this before. She slept in our bed with the cool air humidifier running all night. Tiki sleeps up by her head and wakes up with a coating of mist all over his fur.
Today I'm grateful for Frank and Lexie, long weekends with outings, chewable Tylenol and humidifiers, window tint, water, massage chairs, and stuff.
Friday, May 27, 2005
Whether you're a brother or whether you're a mother, You're stayin' alive, stayin' alive. Feel the city breakin' and everybody shakin' -staying alive.
Darn you Seth! I hate hardware problems! Seth is out sick today...I'm IT support for the day. Software stuff, great...Hardware sucks! Dr. Asby's computer issues, fine-resolved...Medical Records chart request dot matrix jamming, sucks! Call into Cerner for maintance, fine. Gina taking the opportunity to make herself look and feel like the saviour of the day, sucks! What an absolute control freak she is! This makes me hopeful that the other clinic will make me an offer I can't refuse. The other interview went well, not as good as the first, but well enough. Billing supervisor was in on this one, and I felt like it got too chatty which made me uncomfortable. I mean, it's probably a good sign that the three of them spent most of the time chatting with me about daily commutes, and I'm glad they felt comfortable enough to. They will be meeting Tuesday (Monday is Memorial Day), and I should have some answer that afternoon or next morning.
Word(s) of the day: MEDULA OBLONGATA
Lexie log: The pool was great! She loves it! I'll post pictures in a bit. When I got home from the interview, we went to Petco for Charlie's rocks. Lexie loves to peruse through all the animals starting with the fish. She fell in love with the guinea pigs. I feel quite certain that will be her first pet besides Charlie. When we got home, Lexie and I got in the and stayed in for over an hour. Very hard to get her out. She looks to be more than ready for swim lessons. In the 'deep end' she puts her hands on the bench, and kicks her feet behind her. We'll get in again today, but the weather this weekend is questionable. Since it is a three day weekend, we want to go out and do something. Daddy suggested heading out to Multnomah Falls, the hatchery, and maybe looking for the campsite we stayed at six years ago.
Today I'm grateful for Frank and Lexie, long weekends, cheese, laughter, naps, stretches, and tin foil.
Word(s) of the day: MEDULA OBLONGATA
Lexie log: The pool was great! She loves it! I'll post pictures in a bit. When I got home from the interview, we went to Petco for Charlie's rocks. Lexie loves to peruse through all the animals starting with the fish. She fell in love with the guinea pigs. I feel quite certain that will be her first pet besides Charlie. When we got home, Lexie and I got in the and stayed in for over an hour. Very hard to get her out. She looks to be more than ready for swim lessons. In the 'deep end' she puts her hands on the bench, and kicks her feet behind her. We'll get in again today, but the weather this weekend is questionable. Since it is a three day weekend, we want to go out and do something. Daddy suggested heading out to Multnomah Falls, the hatchery, and maybe looking for the campsite we stayed at six years ago.
Today I'm grateful for Frank and Lexie, long weekends, cheese, laughter, naps, stretches, and tin foil.
Thursday, May 26, 2005
This is a test of the emergency broadcast system...
In the event of a real emergency instruction would follow. But instead, here's a really annoying noise to listen to.....
I did go into work this morning with the full intentions of staying until 2:00, then leaving for my interview, but............ After about 45 minutes I really didn't want to be there anymore and since I have more than 49 hours PTO I went home with allergies. Fact, Allavert and Claratine are both 10 mg Loritadine.
Word(s) of the day: CORVUS BRACHYRHYNCHOS
Lexie log: Yesterday afternoon she pulled a real number on Grammy. She put on a little punishment show by not letting her console or kiss her after she bumped her head. She dramatized real sincerity in her agony over her very superficial wound, then acted as if Grammy contrived the whole accident. Grammy's work hard for their rewards, this I can see. -- This morning I showed up back home around 9:00am to a just waking happy child. We ate breakfast in bed and took a nap. It was nice. Now we're just done watching the season finally of House that we taped Tuesday night so that we could watch the Contender, and Lexie is playing imagination games with her stuffed animals and a cardboard box at me feet as I type this. It's almost 90 degrees outside. I have to end the entry, get ready, and go interview. Afterwards we'll probably go to Petco to get some new rocks for Charlie's tank and then, the pool! We inflated and filled it yesterday afternoon and it has a tarp over the top to heat the water and keep crud out. Off I go...
Today I'm grateful for Frank and Lexie, playing hookie, breakfast burritos, children with oversized silverware, summer, and happiness.
I did go into work this morning with the full intentions of staying until 2:00, then leaving for my interview, but............ After about 45 minutes I really didn't want to be there anymore and since I have more than 49 hours PTO I went home with allergies. Fact, Allavert and Claratine are both 10 mg Loritadine.
Word(s) of the day: CORVUS BRACHYRHYNCHOS
Lexie log: Yesterday afternoon she pulled a real number on Grammy. She put on a little punishment show by not letting her console or kiss her after she bumped her head. She dramatized real sincerity in her agony over her very superficial wound, then acted as if Grammy contrived the whole accident. Grammy's work hard for their rewards, this I can see. -- This morning I showed up back home around 9:00am to a just waking happy child. We ate breakfast in bed and took a nap. It was nice. Now we're just done watching the season finally of House that we taped Tuesday night so that we could watch the Contender, and Lexie is playing imagination games with her stuffed animals and a cardboard box at me feet as I type this. It's almost 90 degrees outside. I have to end the entry, get ready, and go interview. Afterwards we'll probably go to Petco to get some new rocks for Charlie's tank and then, the pool! We inflated and filled it yesterday afternoon and it has a tarp over the top to heat the water and keep crud out. Off I go...
Today I'm grateful for Frank and Lexie, playing hookie, breakfast burritos, children with oversized silverware, summer, and happiness.
Wednesday, May 25, 2005
Like the Days of stopping at the Savoy, Now we freak, oh what a joy. Just come on down, two fifty four. Find a spot out on the floor
Interview went really well, I guess, since I just got a call asking for the second one. I don't know when yet, still playing phone tag. Yesterday on the way home from the interview I talked to LickSan, Carrie and Frank, but my phone battery went dead, so I didn't get to call Tracy or Mom. Work is slow to boring today. Thanks Carrie for getting me breakfast today.
Word(s) of the day: FELICITY
Lexie log: Oohhh the temperature is rising. We went to Somerset West park yesterday afternoon. It's across the street from RockCreek 185, an apartment complex I lived in ages ago. I remembered about it last weekend when we got caught in the rain at the teeny tiny park on Cornell, so we drove by to check it out. We stayed there for a couple hours yesterday afternoon. They have two toddler swings and four different slides off the jungle gym. She had a blast. First Daddy swung her super dooper high on the swing, almost making my stomach queasy. After awhile we moved to the playground. She really didn't want to leave the swing, except when we asked her if she wanted to slide. As is with every time I have taken her to a park with a big-toy/jungle gym thingy majigger, she moves to the 'next level' of coordination and skill. She has been getting into climbing a lot, and this park had just what she wanted. When she first started out, she was climbing the stairs at one end (skipping the first step each time) walking over the plank bridge and going down the easy, shady curvy slide. She was in a summer dress, and the slide are dark green plastic, so she picked the shadiest (coolest) one. I'm so glad they don't make metal slides that much anymore. Feeling a little adventurous, as she most often is, the next time she chose to go up some small, funky curved metal ladder to the middle level, bypassing the stairs and the bridge. Then she spotted this seven foot high vertical tube ladder, made of chain link and plastic, that went directly up to the slides. Oh man! She was on that in a flash. I spotted her in case she slipped, but basically she just cruised right on up the very first time. She even got applause from another child's dad who said she was an excellent climber already. About her third time going up it another child decided not to wait and started climbing up right on her heels. As I was staring at her, arms outstretched to spot Lex, thinking of how to gently tell this other child to back off, Lexie did the one and only slip off the rungs. Of course I was right there and caught her, but not before she thumped the space intruder on the head with her sandled feet. All was well however, Lexie now felt confident that if she slipped I would be right there to catch her, and the girl coming a step closer to learning that patience can be the less painful alternative. Now this is Lexie's chosen method to get to the top, and once she feels that she has mastered it, she is looking for a more daring way down. She progresses from the mild slope of the curvy slide to the almost vertical one. Needless to say, she had a blast and didn't want to leave. She was alseep before we even made it home. Today, Grammy is coming over and we should be setting up the pool. Yipee!!!!!
Today I'm grateful for Frank and Lexie, parks, coupons, humming birds, starlings, all are backyard birds and pine trees, breakfast, coffee, and swimming.
Word(s) of the day: FELICITY
Lexie log: Oohhh the temperature is rising. We went to Somerset West park yesterday afternoon. It's across the street from RockCreek 185, an apartment complex I lived in ages ago. I remembered about it last weekend when we got caught in the rain at the teeny tiny park on Cornell, so we drove by to check it out. We stayed there for a couple hours yesterday afternoon. They have two toddler swings and four different slides off the jungle gym. She had a blast. First Daddy swung her super dooper high on the swing, almost making my stomach queasy. After awhile we moved to the playground. She really didn't want to leave the swing, except when we asked her if she wanted to slide. As is with every time I have taken her to a park with a big-toy/jungle gym thingy majigger, she moves to the 'next level' of coordination and skill. She has been getting into climbing a lot, and this park had just what she wanted. When she first started out, she was climbing the stairs at one end (skipping the first step each time) walking over the plank bridge and going down the easy, shady curvy slide. She was in a summer dress, and the slide are dark green plastic, so she picked the shadiest (coolest) one. I'm so glad they don't make metal slides that much anymore. Feeling a little adventurous, as she most often is, the next time she chose to go up some small, funky curved metal ladder to the middle level, bypassing the stairs and the bridge. Then she spotted this seven foot high vertical tube ladder, made of chain link and plastic, that went directly up to the slides. Oh man! She was on that in a flash. I spotted her in case she slipped, but basically she just cruised right on up the very first time. She even got applause from another child's dad who said she was an excellent climber already. About her third time going up it another child decided not to wait and started climbing up right on her heels. As I was staring at her, arms outstretched to spot Lex, thinking of how to gently tell this other child to back off, Lexie did the one and only slip off the rungs. Of course I was right there and caught her, but not before she thumped the space intruder on the head with her sandled feet. All was well however, Lexie now felt confident that if she slipped I would be right there to catch her, and the girl coming a step closer to learning that patience can be the less painful alternative. Now this is Lexie's chosen method to get to the top, and once she feels that she has mastered it, she is looking for a more daring way down. She progresses from the mild slope of the curvy slide to the almost vertical one. Needless to say, she had a blast and didn't want to leave. She was alseep before we even made it home. Today, Grammy is coming over and we should be setting up the pool. Yipee!!!!!
Today I'm grateful for Frank and Lexie, parks, coupons, humming birds, starlings, all are backyard birds and pine trees, breakfast, coffee, and swimming.
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
Life is a highway, I wanna ride it, all night long...
Feeling a tad nervous about the interview. I'm not really concerned with how I'll do, since I'm not unemployed and am just looking for better. I'm really nervous about the possibility of such a huge change. If it doesn't work out either for me, or for them, I keep things going the way they are now. But...If they offer what I'm looking for, well then... Anyway, can't think about much else at this point. Trying to plod along my work until this afternoon.
Word(s) of the day: PONTIFICATE
Lexie log: Xena move over. Lexie, warrior princess has arrived. After no nap all day, she played for over an hour in the backyard as it was getting dark. The whole expedition started because she was learning to play with TurkeySwoop with two shoelaces tied together. She is getting better at this, but TurkeySwoop looses patience quickly. Turkey, Tiki, and Chikita tolerate her the best, but really only Turkey and Tiki will take the time to play with her. In fact, Turkey actually enjoys wandering around the yard with her. So, back to the shoe lace game. She takes the end of the lace she wants him to play with and places it under one of his front paws. This doesn't do anything for him, but when she pulls it away the paws fly and Lexie laughs. Turkey tires of this much quicker than her, and as soon he gets bored with it he starts wandering away from her. They made it out to the back yard finally, and she lost interest in the game. The yard during nice weather is still a pretty new thing to her, and very fun/fascinating. First she wanted to pick up every branch that as fallen off the pine trees and bring it to us, so I flipped over the yard debris bucket and showed her to put them and pine cones in there. Now it was a game/hunt for her. She did a nice little piece of yard work. When she was bored with that she found an old wooden rake handle and started wielding it like a Bokken. Parry. Thrust. Dodge. Poor tree never had a chance. Since she was so tired, it was a little hard (noisy) to get her in when it got cold and dark. The way she puts up a tantrum, sometimes I'm amazed the neighbors don't call the police thinking we're hurting her. She put up a small battle to get to bed, but I'm pretty sure she was asleep before her head hit the pillow. I am so excited about being able to spend time outside with her now that it's getting warmer. I've been hearing that it's supposed to get into the 90's later this week. If that happens we will get the pool up for sure. Yesterday at Albertson's we saw some plastic, colorful, battery operated fish that are about a foot long head to tale, and eight inches tall. They actually swim in the pool. That will be my next fun purchase.
Today I'm grateful for Frank and Lexie, warm weather, opportunities, stability, water, pasta, our backyard, and conversations with Lex.
Word(s) of the day: PONTIFICATE
Lexie log: Xena move over. Lexie, warrior princess has arrived. After no nap all day, she played for over an hour in the backyard as it was getting dark. The whole expedition started because she was learning to play with TurkeySwoop with two shoelaces tied together. She is getting better at this, but TurkeySwoop looses patience quickly. Turkey, Tiki, and Chikita tolerate her the best, but really only Turkey and Tiki will take the time to play with her. In fact, Turkey actually enjoys wandering around the yard with her. So, back to the shoe lace game. She takes the end of the lace she wants him to play with and places it under one of his front paws. This doesn't do anything for him, but when she pulls it away the paws fly and Lexie laughs. Turkey tires of this much quicker than her, and as soon he gets bored with it he starts wandering away from her. They made it out to the back yard finally, and she lost interest in the game. The yard during nice weather is still a pretty new thing to her, and very fun/fascinating. First she wanted to pick up every branch that as fallen off the pine trees and bring it to us, so I flipped over the yard debris bucket and showed her to put them and pine cones in there. Now it was a game/hunt for her. She did a nice little piece of yard work. When she was bored with that she found an old wooden rake handle and started wielding it like a Bokken. Parry. Thrust. Dodge. Poor tree never had a chance. Since she was so tired, it was a little hard (noisy) to get her in when it got cold and dark. The way she puts up a tantrum, sometimes I'm amazed the neighbors don't call the police thinking we're hurting her. She put up a small battle to get to bed, but I'm pretty sure she was asleep before her head hit the pillow. I am so excited about being able to spend time outside with her now that it's getting warmer. I've been hearing that it's supposed to get into the 90's later this week. If that happens we will get the pool up for sure. Yesterday at Albertson's we saw some plastic, colorful, battery operated fish that are about a foot long head to tale, and eight inches tall. They actually swim in the pool. That will be my next fun purchase.
Today I'm grateful for Frank and Lexie, warm weather, opportunities, stability, water, pasta, our backyard, and conversations with Lex.
Monday, May 23, 2005
What have you done for me lately, oooh oooh yeah yeah.
Emailed my resume to one ad in the want ads last Wednesday. Got a message Friday regarding resume. Spoke with person who left message and now have an interview tomorrow at 2:30pm. Other than that, same old Monday reports and batches.
Word(s) of the day: WEIMARANER
Lexie log: We were late for the Iris walk by 18 minutes. It still worked out great though. I didn't even know these gardens existed. Right when we got there a high school band showed up and played some music. Lexie wasn't all that fond of that, just having woken from a car nap. Then we spent about two hours strolling through the display gardens. I wasn't wearing the right shoes, sandals really, for the mud, but oh well. We took some really great pictures. Actually, I cried Saturday night because of one. Frank took my all time most favorite picture of Lexie standing in front of a pond with waterfall. It was a full length shot of her and she's smiling. We were looking at it and I decided to make a cropped copy close up...I hit save by mistake. Oh, my my my. I really got so upset I cried. I'm still crushed about it. After we viewed all the display beds, visited the gift shop, and walked through the flower show, we ate lunch. They sold hotdogs and homemade sausage. Lexie had a hot dog, carefully removing the bun piece by piece as she ate. Frank and I had sausage sandwiches on hoagies with grilled onion and sauerkraut (no kraut on mine though). It started raining right as we left. -- Sunday we slept in really late, went out for lunch and then went to a teeny tiny park Frank spotted a few days earlier that had a kids swing. After swinging for a while we walked around the path leading around ponds and marshland. Saw a few red winged blackbirds. Two wooden bridges over creeks. Just over half way around, it started pouring rain. It was awesome. The weather has been really great recently. Reminds me of how I would imagine Hawaii weather. Sunny one moment and pouring rain the next. We ran around Albertson's for a while, rented 101 Dalmations II and had a quiet evening.
Today I'm grateful for Frank and Lexie, rain, weekends, parks, Iris gardens, volksport, stuff.
Word(s) of the day: WEIMARANER
Lexie log: We were late for the Iris walk by 18 minutes. It still worked out great though. I didn't even know these gardens existed. Right when we got there a high school band showed up and played some music. Lexie wasn't all that fond of that, just having woken from a car nap. Then we spent about two hours strolling through the display gardens. I wasn't wearing the right shoes, sandals really, for the mud, but oh well. We took some really great pictures. Actually, I cried Saturday night because of one. Frank took my all time most favorite picture of Lexie standing in front of a pond with waterfall. It was a full length shot of her and she's smiling. We were looking at it and I decided to make a cropped copy close up...I hit save by mistake. Oh, my my my. I really got so upset I cried. I'm still crushed about it. After we viewed all the display beds, visited the gift shop, and walked through the flower show, we ate lunch. They sold hotdogs and homemade sausage. Lexie had a hot dog, carefully removing the bun piece by piece as she ate. Frank and I had sausage sandwiches on hoagies with grilled onion and sauerkraut (no kraut on mine though). It started raining right as we left. -- Sunday we slept in really late, went out for lunch and then went to a teeny tiny park Frank spotted a few days earlier that had a kids swing. After swinging for a while we walked around the path leading around ponds and marshland. Saw a few red winged blackbirds. Two wooden bridges over creeks. Just over half way around, it started pouring rain. It was awesome. The weather has been really great recently. Reminds me of how I would imagine Hawaii weather. Sunny one moment and pouring rain the next. We ran around Albertson's for a while, rented 101 Dalmations II and had a quiet evening.
Today I'm grateful for Frank and Lexie, rain, weekends, parks, Iris gardens, volksport, stuff.
Friday, May 20, 2005
It doesn't matter what they say, In the jealous games people play, hey hey hey...Our lips our sealed
Damn Old Navy and their new ad campaign. Bust a move.
Odd commute fact: It takes me 20 minutes to get to work in the morning. It takes me 45 minutes to an hour to get home.
Some days instead of listening to my audio book on the way to work, I reflect on the recent past or plan the future. This morning I was thinking about work yesterday, and one thing made me laugh out loud...Again. I figure if it can get a good laugh out of me twice, it's worth an entry........
....There are a couple of us at work that have a love for amusement park thrill rides. A couple that stand out in my memory are Batman-the ride at Six Flags Great America, and Freefall at Six Flags Magic Mountain. I spent a few of my childhood years living in the bay area, a couple miles from Great America, and a hop skip and a jump from multiple other amusement parks. Of course there's the multiple fair rides like the Zipper and the Gravitron. So, we (all seven intelligent women) are talking about our favorite rides, and Scott, the only man in the department walks up. He begins to describe this ride he likes where you walk into a circular room, stand up against the wall, the door shuts and the room starts to spin...Now here is the kicker...He says that they then, "...Turn on a static electric field of energy that holds you to the wall as the floor drops out from below..." What? So, now my jaw dropped, and I had to turn around and walk away. Seconds passed and dumbfounded shock became hysterical laughter. Then to top it off Jan, who is milking this for all it's worth, is over there fueling the fire by asking him all kinds of 'serious' questions about this amazing technology. Later I anonymously put a print out on Scott's desk explains the role of centrifugal force in all of this. Oh, but what a laugh I had at this. Scott is worth his weight in gold for all the picking on him I do. He is a member of the Liberal Party with a wealth of government related conspiracy theories. The other male who works closely in our office is the 25 year old, pony tailed, Trey Arrow look-a-like, uber-geek, network admin, member of the Green Party, who always has a quirky little grin on his face and who also likes to hover about silently way after there is nothing left to say. Then there is Jeff, the office admin who over thinks every little detail and is project happy. For the most part a great boss, but we all have our quirks.
Word(s) of the day: LANSINAR MORPHING DISK
Lexie log: Lexie talked to Grammy on the phone last night. She watched Troll in Central Park while Grammy watched the season finale of CSI. It was pretty cute. First she came to me and asked me for some banana. I gave her the last bit of banana and she ran off to eat it watching her movie. Then she came back and asked for more. I asked her if she wanted more banana and she said no, she didn't want it. I asked her if she wanted milk, "No, I don't want it," was her response. Then, on a whim, I asked her if she wanted to call Grammy. This got a great response. She went for the phone chanting, "Grammy, Grammy." This is great since just the other night when Grammy called to talk to her, she turned into Tyrannosaurus Lex and had a fit. Apparently she was really into the movie Garfield and wouldn't even let me come in the living room with the phone. Last night she wanted Grammy to watch with her over the phone. After a while, Grammy hung up, obviously not getting the point that Lexie feels they are still hanging out, even if it's just over the phone, no talking. So, Lexie brings me back the phone with that obnoxious beeping alerting me to hang up the darned phone. I called Grammy back, thinking that Lex had hung up on her, and they watched there respective boob tube preferences, as Daddy and I watched ours. Daddy and I watched the Apprentice finale flipping over to SmackDown during commercials. Scotty 2 Hotty Vs. JBL, and the taunting of John Cena. Wow, just typing this all makes me realize what trashy T.V. we watch on Thursdays. Thursdays are crap day for TV. If there isn't anything good on OPB, then it's yucky. Shows we watch; LOST, 24, House, The Contender, Joey, Northwest Backroads, Antique Roadshow, Austin City Limits, Globe Trekker, Oregon Field Guide, and Nature. Lexie's shows; Clifford, Seasame Street, Between the Lions, Teletubbies, George Shrinks, Barney, ZOOM, and others. I realized this makes it look like we watch a lot of TV. We do play and walk and read go out and do stuff more during nice weather. Ok, enough justification.
Today I'm grateful for Frank and Lexie, sunny weather, Swiss cheese, azaleas, AirWalk shoes, plastic utensils ( I almost typed 'plastic silverware' and then thought better of it), and laughter.
Odd commute fact: It takes me 20 minutes to get to work in the morning. It takes me 45 minutes to an hour to get home.
Some days instead of listening to my audio book on the way to work, I reflect on the recent past or plan the future. This morning I was thinking about work yesterday, and one thing made me laugh out loud...Again. I figure if it can get a good laugh out of me twice, it's worth an entry........
....There are a couple of us at work that have a love for amusement park thrill rides. A couple that stand out in my memory are Batman-the ride at Six Flags Great America, and Freefall at Six Flags Magic Mountain. I spent a few of my childhood years living in the bay area, a couple miles from Great America, and a hop skip and a jump from multiple other amusement parks. Of course there's the multiple fair rides like the Zipper and the Gravitron. So, we (all seven intelligent women) are talking about our favorite rides, and Scott, the only man in the department walks up. He begins to describe this ride he likes where you walk into a circular room, stand up against the wall, the door shuts and the room starts to spin...Now here is the kicker...He says that they then, "...Turn on a static electric field of energy that holds you to the wall as the floor drops out from below..." What? So, now my jaw dropped, and I had to turn around and walk away. Seconds passed and dumbfounded shock became hysterical laughter. Then to top it off Jan, who is milking this for all it's worth, is over there fueling the fire by asking him all kinds of 'serious' questions about this amazing technology. Later I anonymously put a print out on Scott's desk explains the role of centrifugal force in all of this. Oh, but what a laugh I had at this. Scott is worth his weight in gold for all the picking on him I do. He is a member of the Liberal Party with a wealth of government related conspiracy theories. The other male who works closely in our office is the 25 year old, pony tailed, Trey Arrow look-a-like, uber-geek, network admin, member of the Green Party, who always has a quirky little grin on his face and who also likes to hover about silently way after there is nothing left to say. Then there is Jeff, the office admin who over thinks every little detail and is project happy. For the most part a great boss, but we all have our quirks.
Word(s) of the day: LANSINAR MORPHING DISK
Lexie log: Lexie talked to Grammy on the phone last night. She watched Troll in Central Park while Grammy watched the season finale of CSI. It was pretty cute. First she came to me and asked me for some banana. I gave her the last bit of banana and she ran off to eat it watching her movie. Then she came back and asked for more. I asked her if she wanted more banana and she said no, she didn't want it. I asked her if she wanted milk, "No, I don't want it," was her response. Then, on a whim, I asked her if she wanted to call Grammy. This got a great response. She went for the phone chanting, "Grammy, Grammy." This is great since just the other night when Grammy called to talk to her, she turned into Tyrannosaurus Lex and had a fit. Apparently she was really into the movie Garfield and wouldn't even let me come in the living room with the phone. Last night she wanted Grammy to watch with her over the phone. After a while, Grammy hung up, obviously not getting the point that Lexie feels they are still hanging out, even if it's just over the phone, no talking. So, Lexie brings me back the phone with that obnoxious beeping alerting me to hang up the darned phone. I called Grammy back, thinking that Lex had hung up on her, and they watched there respective boob tube preferences, as Daddy and I watched ours. Daddy and I watched the Apprentice finale flipping over to SmackDown during commercials. Scotty 2 Hotty Vs. JBL, and the taunting of John Cena. Wow, just typing this all makes me realize what trashy T.V. we watch on Thursdays. Thursdays are crap day for TV. If there isn't anything good on OPB, then it's yucky. Shows we watch; LOST, 24, House, The Contender, Joey, Northwest Backroads, Antique Roadshow, Austin City Limits, Globe Trekker, Oregon Field Guide, and Nature. Lexie's shows; Clifford, Seasame Street, Between the Lions, Teletubbies, George Shrinks, Barney, ZOOM, and others. I realized this makes it look like we watch a lot of TV. We do play and walk and read go out and do stuff more during nice weather. Ok, enough justification.
Today I'm grateful for Frank and Lexie, sunny weather, Swiss cheese, azaleas, AirWalk shoes, plastic utensils ( I almost typed 'plastic silverware' and then thought better of it), and laughter.
Thursday, May 19, 2005
I'm just a little black rain cloud...
Wow did we have a torrential downpour a little over an hour ago. It's what my used-to-be-stepmother would call a 'frog strangler'. With my 2nd floor window seat, it's fun to watch how people (pedestrians) react.
I wish someone would invent a mouse clicker that didn't actually make the clicking noise.
Yesterday, I missed mentioning that it was Frank and my three year and four month anniversary. I'm not sure that there has been more than a couple times that Frank doesn't wish me a happy anniversary on the 18th of every month. I prepared a special mac -n- chili dinner. The night before, Frank made up a couple of his should-be-famous sandwiches. Orowheat Health nut bread, mayonnaise, cream cheese, fried egg, deli sliced pepper turkey, and a slice of Colby-jack. The completed sandwich is warmed to perfection in the microwave. This is just one version of his awesome sandwich creations. I wish we could open up a sandwich shop.
Yesterday was also the 25th anniversary of Mt. St. Helen's erupting. Frank watched from N.E. Portland, but I was still in transit from Iowa, so I missed the show and the ash. Mt. St. Helens
I actually hiked to the summit/crater edge back in the late 80's. Hiked with my mom and dad, aunt Chris, uncle Steve, and Inga. The edge was really, "the edge". Just a narrow strip of flat. One wrong step to the left or right and you either tumble down the mountain side or into the crater.
Word(s) of the day: MITIGATE
Lexie log: Last night she didn't go down for a nap until around 7:00pm and by the time she was waking up, we were already in bed. She was not happy about this, but she did eventually go back to sleep. I wonder how early she got up this morning. She fell asleep on the living room floor. Kind of like the Dupont Stainmaster carpet commercial...Except that we have no carpet. -- I set up her next well care appointment for July 19th. Taking the whole day off, and if we don't think of anything else to do, I'll bring her by the office and try the workplace visit once again. Maybe it will go better if I'm with her from the get go, and we do it when she doesn't need a nap. We shall see.
Today I'm grateful for Frank and Lexie, TV's LOST, covered deck, Purell, headlights, Macaroni, penguins, meteorology, Maraqua, and rocks.
I wish someone would invent a mouse clicker that didn't actually make the clicking noise.
Yesterday, I missed mentioning that it was Frank and my three year and four month anniversary. I'm not sure that there has been more than a couple times that Frank doesn't wish me a happy anniversary on the 18th of every month. I prepared a special mac -n- chili dinner. The night before, Frank made up a couple of his should-be-famous sandwiches. Orowheat Health nut bread, mayonnaise, cream cheese, fried egg, deli sliced pepper turkey, and a slice of Colby-jack. The completed sandwich is warmed to perfection in the microwave. This is just one version of his awesome sandwich creations. I wish we could open up a sandwich shop.
Yesterday was also the 25th anniversary of Mt. St. Helen's erupting. Frank watched from N.E. Portland, but I was still in transit from Iowa, so I missed the show and the ash. Mt. St. Helens
I actually hiked to the summit/crater edge back in the late 80's. Hiked with my mom and dad, aunt Chris, uncle Steve, and Inga. The edge was really, "the edge". Just a narrow strip of flat. One wrong step to the left or right and you either tumble down the mountain side or into the crater.
Word(s) of the day: MITIGATE
Lexie log: Last night she didn't go down for a nap until around 7:00pm and by the time she was waking up, we were already in bed. She was not happy about this, but she did eventually go back to sleep. I wonder how early she got up this morning. She fell asleep on the living room floor. Kind of like the Dupont Stainmaster carpet commercial...Except that we have no carpet. -- I set up her next well care appointment for July 19th. Taking the whole day off, and if we don't think of anything else to do, I'll bring her by the office and try the workplace visit once again. Maybe it will go better if I'm with her from the get go, and we do it when she doesn't need a nap. We shall see.
Today I'm grateful for Frank and Lexie, TV's LOST, covered deck, Purell, headlights, Macaroni, penguins, meteorology, Maraqua, and rocks.
Wednesday, May 18, 2005
Come on everybody, Clap your hands! Come on everybody, It's the Hamster Dance!
Here I sit at my desk wondering if it just isn't darn tootin' time to stick the ol' resume out in the wind and see what it sticks to. We went to Lexie's pediatrician's office yesterday. They moved offices out to Bethany Village. It's a really nice new office, really close to home. No pressure now. No need to find new job. Just desire to find something closer to home. I would have to have some requirements before I would leave this job: Same or higher pay, small to mid-sized clinic, same early hours, west side - closer to home. Oh well, just a passing, semi-fleeting thought. Just checked and my resume is completely up to date!
Word(s) of the day: SLOUGHING
Lexie log: Lexie has had this little irritation above the right end of her mouth for a few weeks that looks like it's slowly going away. Then yesterday after lunch Daddy called and said that she woke up with a large, new, whitish bump on the other side. He said it looked like a blister. We scheduled a same day with Dr. Miller to make sure they weren't related and everything was ok. Lexie was great at the doctor. All is well, just a fever blister. Her Daddy and his family get them from time to time and apparently my grandma Muttie got them a lot as a child. The other rash is what Dr. Miller called "lip lickers dermatitis" or a chapped lip gone bad because she wont leave it alone with her tongue. Wow, just realized this is a pretty anatomical blog entry. Hope Lex doesn't get embarrassed reading it when she older. Speaking of anatomy, Lexie has a strawberry birthmark on her right middle back. Dr. Miller and nurses keep saying it will get smaller and disappear, but it hasn't so far. I hope it stays. It is the most adorable little mark, like she has been kissed by a strawberry. -- This weekend we are supposed to be going on an Iris walk in Keizer. I hope we get to go.
Word(s) of the day: SLOUGHING
Lexie log: Lexie has had this little irritation above the right end of her mouth for a few weeks that looks like it's slowly going away. Then yesterday after lunch Daddy called and said that she woke up with a large, new, whitish bump on the other side. He said it looked like a blister. We scheduled a same day with Dr. Miller to make sure they weren't related and everything was ok. Lexie was great at the doctor. All is well, just a fever blister. Her Daddy and his family get them from time to time and apparently my grandma Muttie got them a lot as a child. The other rash is what Dr. Miller called "lip lickers dermatitis" or a chapped lip gone bad because she wont leave it alone with her tongue. Wow, just realized this is a pretty anatomical blog entry. Hope Lex doesn't get embarrassed reading it when she older. Speaking of anatomy, Lexie has a strawberry birthmark on her right middle back. Dr. Miller and nurses keep saying it will get smaller and disappear, but it hasn't so far. I hope it stays. It is the most adorable little mark, like she has been kissed by a strawberry. -- This weekend we are supposed to be going on an Iris walk in Keizer. I hope we get to go.
Tuesday, May 17, 2005
Momma called the doctor and the doctor said, "No more monkeys jumping on the bed!"
Oi! And that's all I have to say about that!
Word(s) of the day: VIABLE ENUMERATION
Lexie log: We get to watch a new movie this weekend! My little baby girl is so awesome. Lexie was running into the kitchen and she fell and landed wrong on her fingers. Oh did she scream! First my heart fled out of my body, then I just wanted to scoop her up and hug it away. All better within minutes, yeah. She is always such a trooper, it's rare that she doesn't just bounce right back up again over just about any fall. -- She just start this new game...She gets about four inches away from my face while I'm asleep, and then waits patiently for me to wake up. My guess is that she does something subtle to speed up the process, but I don't know for sure...Since I'm asleep. I slowly open my eyes to this huge mischievous smile and a sparkle in her bright blue eyes. It's great.
Today I'm grateful for Frank and Lexie, friends like Tracy, great co-workers/friends, marmalade (actually, I don't think I've ever had marmalade), mocha mix, my Mommy and Dad, and slippers at work.
Word(s) of the day: VIABLE ENUMERATION
Lexie log: We get to watch a new movie this weekend! My little baby girl is so awesome. Lexie was running into the kitchen and she fell and landed wrong on her fingers. Oh did she scream! First my heart fled out of my body, then I just wanted to scoop her up and hug it away. All better within minutes, yeah. She is always such a trooper, it's rare that she doesn't just bounce right back up again over just about any fall. -- She just start this new game...She gets about four inches away from my face while I'm asleep, and then waits patiently for me to wake up. My guess is that she does something subtle to speed up the process, but I don't know for sure...Since I'm asleep. I slowly open my eyes to this huge mischievous smile and a sparkle in her bright blue eyes. It's great.
Today I'm grateful for Frank and Lexie, friends like Tracy, great co-workers/friends, marmalade (actually, I don't think I've ever had marmalade), mocha mix, my Mommy and Dad, and slippers at work.
Monday, May 16, 2005
I've got my hush-puppies on, I guess I never was meant for glitter rock and roll.
Right now I'm on the phone with Lexie just a talking away. I put her on speaker phone and TT thought it was the cutest. She is so fun to listen to.
Now here we are back on another Monday. Still waiting for the other shoe to drop. I really don't want to be here today.
Lot's of people confused by my Rosarita, storm trooper, Stonehenge line from last week. It's an inside joke...Rosarita is Tracy.
Word(s) of the day: CLASSIC TABBY
Lexie log: We had a pretty quiet weekend. Saturday we all slept in and bummed around all day, picked up a new shower liner and some camping chairs. Saw a bean bag dolphin at Freddy's that I hope we can get Lex someday. Then we wandered around Albertson's for a while. Yesterday we vegged all day. I tried to watch one movie, but it sucked so I couldn't get past the first 18 minutes. Lex and I watched 101 Dalmations, and she opted to carry around a small plastic black Labrador instead of pink puppy all weekend. This morning, she woke me up shortly before my alarm, because her diaper was already really wet and she had to go to the bathroom. This, to me, is a huge accomplishment. She knew that if she went again it would totally leak through, so she made me get up and change her. Daddy and I are seriously considering letting her run around in just a summer dress this summer so she gets the practice. I think I'll start next weekend. Also want to see if she'll wear thong slippers, Sophia was wearing some at Lucas' party.
Today I'm grateful for Frank and Lexie, KC's kindness, Rick's Salsa, Carrie bringing some of Rick's salsa to my desk while I was stuck on a phone call, Tami bringing in Rick's salsa to work, Grammy's Costco runs, nothingness, and everything else.
Now here we are back on another Monday. Still waiting for the other shoe to drop. I really don't want to be here today.
Lot's of people confused by my Rosarita, storm trooper, Stonehenge line from last week. It's an inside joke...Rosarita is Tracy.
Word(s) of the day: CLASSIC TABBY
Lexie log: We had a pretty quiet weekend. Saturday we all slept in and bummed around all day, picked up a new shower liner and some camping chairs. Saw a bean bag dolphin at Freddy's that I hope we can get Lex someday. Then we wandered around Albertson's for a while. Yesterday we vegged all day. I tried to watch one movie, but it sucked so I couldn't get past the first 18 minutes. Lex and I watched 101 Dalmations, and she opted to carry around a small plastic black Labrador instead of pink puppy all weekend. This morning, she woke me up shortly before my alarm, because her diaper was already really wet and she had to go to the bathroom. This, to me, is a huge accomplishment. She knew that if she went again it would totally leak through, so she made me get up and change her. Daddy and I are seriously considering letting her run around in just a summer dress this summer so she gets the practice. I think I'll start next weekend. Also want to see if she'll wear thong slippers, Sophia was wearing some at Lucas' party.
Today I'm grateful for Frank and Lexie, KC's kindness, Rick's Salsa, Carrie bringing some of Rick's salsa to my desk while I was stuck on a phone call, Tami bringing in Rick's salsa to work, Grammy's Costco runs, nothingness, and everything else.
Friday, May 13, 2005
Country road, take me home, to the place, I belong...
I woke up at 7:21 am this morning. I am usually in the parking lot hear at 6:30 am. Now I don't have any strange superstitions like Friday the 13th, but still, not a good start. Need a nap already. Great B-day party for Lucas, but I guess I've turned into a pansy wuss when it comes to staying up late on a work night.
Word(s) of the day: TUCKERED AND DYSPHORIC
Lexie log: She had a blast at Lucas' party. She ate a hotdog and most of my hamburger, some Fritos and fingers of ketchup. She sucked down a glass of Steve and Zoe's Fat Free Organic milk like it was her favorite. Too bad it's a little too expensive for our budget. She loved dancing on carpet, the loved the attention and the other kids. Need to get out with her more often. I wish she would have played more with Sophia, and Lucas definitely is getting to an age where he chooses boys to play with before girls. Lexie ran around when Lucas and 'Tank' (five year old boy never seen before), she tried to climb a tree, as she was running about she fell a couple of times in shorts on pavement and didn't make a peep. People commented on her toughy attitude. Once she figured out that she could race around in circles from outside, through the sliding glass back door, through the living room, kitchen, pantry and out back again, there was no stopping her. Once she made it up the stairs to the bedrooms before we noticed to look for her. These same stairs my graceful Rosarita navigated into a stormtrooper boot that she had to wear to stonehenge. It was hard to leave, but necessary. It was late and I was getting frustrated with all the worrying someone at the party was doing. I resolve to get out and do more things with Lexie and Tracy.
Today I'm grateful for Frank and Lexie, best friends listening, werewolves, carpet, barbecues, papertowels, water, and toodle-OO.
Word(s) of the day: TUCKERED AND DYSPHORIC
Lexie log: She had a blast at Lucas' party. She ate a hotdog and most of my hamburger, some Fritos and fingers of ketchup. She sucked down a glass of Steve and Zoe's Fat Free Organic milk like it was her favorite. Too bad it's a little too expensive for our budget. She loved dancing on carpet, the loved the attention and the other kids. Need to get out with her more often. I wish she would have played more with Sophia, and Lucas definitely is getting to an age where he chooses boys to play with before girls. Lexie ran around when Lucas and 'Tank' (five year old boy never seen before), she tried to climb a tree, as she was running about she fell a couple of times in shorts on pavement and didn't make a peep. People commented on her toughy attitude. Once she figured out that she could race around in circles from outside, through the sliding glass back door, through the living room, kitchen, pantry and out back again, there was no stopping her. Once she made it up the stairs to the bedrooms before we noticed to look for her. These same stairs my graceful Rosarita navigated into a stormtrooper boot that she had to wear to stonehenge. It was hard to leave, but necessary. It was late and I was getting frustrated with all the worrying someone at the party was doing. I resolve to get out and do more things with Lexie and Tracy.
Today I'm grateful for Frank and Lexie, best friends listening, werewolves, carpet, barbecues, papertowels, water, and toodle-OO.
Thursday, May 12, 2005
Live a little , be a gypsy, get around, Get your feet up off the ground, Live a little, get around.
Strange thought of the day: While posting insurance payment, my imagination is wandering, and I am imagining the clinic as a living organism and what different departments/positions would be. So far I have Central Supply as the blood stream, one of my jobs is like a kidney or liver, the other would be like a synapse. The doctors are grey matter. Right now I think there is a bacterial infection, and its causing a kidney infection. Ok, I have to stop this now.
I am so behind in the movie department. So...I'm starting a list of movies to see. I need all the help I can get, so TT, Val and Carrie are putting in suggestions. This is it so far:
Empire Records
Terms of Endearment
The Evening Star
The Score
Boogie Nights
Circle of Friends
I'm open to most any suggestions.
Word(s) of the day: FOSSA
Lexie log: November 30, 2002: Lexie was due to be born five days ago and I had been on maternity leave for about a week. I was going a little stir crazy and kept thinking the slightest little thing might be a contraction. My last OB visit to Dr. Katherine Brown, M.D. was about a week earlier also. She had me a little nervous about my progress. I was already starting to dilate, but Lexie wasn't budging. Dr. Brown told us that Lexie was already a good size and my hips might not wide enough for her. She told us to come back in a week or so (memory foggy here) if I hadn't gone into labor and she would induce. She warned us more than once that a C-section seemed highly possible. Grammy was staying in the RV out in the coldesac. She had been there for a couple days. I'm pretty sure she drove me from work my last day. We had an remote intercom system setup between the house and the RV. Every morning we would beep her to tell her we were up. On this day we went to Noble Woods Park on Baseline.
Is was crisp winter weather. Grammy took a picture of Daddy and I standing on one of the wooden bridges. On the way home we picked up something for dinner, I think Subway, and a movie or two. My memory is patchy from here on, but I still remember a lot. We had started watching Nine Months (1995 comedy Hugh Grant, Julianne Moore), and my best friend Tracy called. I told her what we were watching, and she freaked out and said that was what she was watching the night Sierra was born. I was really uncomfortable in bed and about 11:00pm I started having cramping feelings. I thought I was having bad gas pains. As soon as Frank caught wind that I was in pain he leapt out of bed and we both started rushing around the house like headless chickens. I kept going back and forth thinking stomach cramps, and buckling over in the hallway. Frank kept asking if he needed to beep Grammy on the intercom, and I couldn't decide. Never having had contractions before, I really didn't know. We started writing down when they started and ended and to see how far apart they were. I remember I was spending the hole time in the bathroom doorway and the office sitting at the desk. We finally decided to page her. Then she added to the milieu and pandemonium. She took over the timing job, but it was soon clear that no-one was calm enough to do it very accurately. Talk about hyper. At some point, I really didn't give a darn how far apart they were, just that they were really starting to hurt like hell. I was so extremely nervous and excited. I remember the car trip up T.V. Highway to Tuality Community Hospital in the middle of the night. The roads were all but deserted. Grammy was holding it together as best she could, but still a nervous wreck. Daddy was hyper and excited, and a little worried I think. I think I liked going into labor in the middle of the night. Not so many people running around and all the noise. The hospital was quiet and peaceful, for that I am grateful. They put us in a tiny little pre-delivery room to check to see if this was it, or if they should send me home. I was so scared they would send me home and I would have to wait out the pain. They checked us write in! I was already very very dilated by the time I showed up, just no water broken. I can't remember who called Tracy, but she showed up pretty darned quick. For some bizarre reason, I remember that she was wearing something like a black corduroy overalls with a white shirt. She brushed my hair and put it in a pony tail for me. This was all much later though, at least it seemed that way to me. Time was a blur. Grandpa Dale showed up pretty quick too. Pain was really becoming an issue for me. I cussed like a sailor. I was scared to death of having an Epidural, but my pain threshold must be pretty low because I broke down and yelled for one. I wish I would have asked right away, next time I will. Here is the downside to going into labor in the middle of the night; the anesthesiologist is at home in bed. I think I kept saying (yelling), "I can't do this anymore." I don't know what I must have been thinking, how was I supposed to stop? Delirium. The truth is that I was a lot farther along than I thought, I might have even been better off with out one. By the time the anesthesiologist showed up, I didn't think I was going to be able to hold still long enough for them to put it in. I was terrified. I started having the urge to push, which should have been my clue that we were close, but no. I asked the anesthesiologist if it made any difference that I was starting to want to push, and she said no. Later I mused that she was just saying that because she had to get out of bed to do all this and she wasn't going to stop now. As soon as the epidural started taking effect I was soooo much happier. That's when the camera came out and spirits lifted. But...The pain numbing of the epidural also stopped the urge to push and Lexie's flight plans were delayed. Dr. Brown wasn't available and for some reason I can't remember the name of the doctor who delivered her. I do remember that he was just about to retire. I believe that the late epidural complicated the progress. Had I had it earlier, it would have been wearing off around the time I needed to participate. Any who... by now it was getting to be late morning December 1st. The doctor said that if I didn't make any progress by noon or 1:00 we would be moved over to the C-section room. Then, as the epidural started to wear off more, things picked up speed, but Lexie hit a speed bump. Her big ole head just wouldn't budge. Time for the vacuum. Boy did that ever freak Frank out. I was just in a state of shock. There was some missed communication between doc and nurse and they released when they shouldn't have. It all worked out in the end though. Beautimus little vacuum headed Lexie was born about 12:23 or somewhere around there. Almost ten pounds. I can't even describe the next two days, but I'll probably try at a later date. Now, it's time for me to go. It's Lucas' birthday today, Tracy's son. I was right there when he was born. Lexie, Daddy and I are going to his b-day get together tonight.
Today I'm grateful for Frank and Lexie, Tuality Hospital, Dr. Brown and Dr. almost retired, Dr. Brown's nurse, Tracy Sierra Lucas and Dana, Mom and Dad, Mom Keller and the Keller family, grilled cheese, really good stretches that make you dizzy, and sandals.
I am so behind in the movie department. So...I'm starting a list of movies to see. I need all the help I can get, so TT, Val and Carrie are putting in suggestions. This is it so far:
Empire Records
Terms of Endearment
The Evening Star
The Score
Boogie Nights
Circle of Friends
I'm open to most any suggestions.
Word(s) of the day: FOSSA
Lexie log: November 30, 2002: Lexie was due to be born five days ago and I had been on maternity leave for about a week. I was going a little stir crazy and kept thinking the slightest little thing might be a contraction. My last OB visit to Dr. Katherine Brown, M.D. was about a week earlier also. She had me a little nervous about my progress. I was already starting to dilate, but Lexie wasn't budging. Dr. Brown told us that Lexie was already a good size and my hips might not wide enough for her. She told us to come back in a week or so (memory foggy here) if I hadn't gone into labor and she would induce. She warned us more than once that a C-section seemed highly possible. Grammy was staying in the RV out in the coldesac. She had been there for a couple days. I'm pretty sure she drove me from work my last day. We had an remote intercom system setup between the house and the RV. Every morning we would beep her to tell her we were up. On this day we went to Noble Woods Park on Baseline.
Is was crisp winter weather. Grammy took a picture of Daddy and I standing on one of the wooden bridges. On the way home we picked up something for dinner, I think Subway, and a movie or two. My memory is patchy from here on, but I still remember a lot. We had started watching Nine Months (1995 comedy Hugh Grant, Julianne Moore), and my best friend Tracy called. I told her what we were watching, and she freaked out and said that was what she was watching the night Sierra was born. I was really uncomfortable in bed and about 11:00pm I started having cramping feelings. I thought I was having bad gas pains. As soon as Frank caught wind that I was in pain he leapt out of bed and we both started rushing around the house like headless chickens. I kept going back and forth thinking stomach cramps, and buckling over in the hallway. Frank kept asking if he needed to beep Grammy on the intercom, and I couldn't decide. Never having had contractions before, I really didn't know. We started writing down when they started and ended and to see how far apart they were. I remember I was spending the hole time in the bathroom doorway and the office sitting at the desk. We finally decided to page her. Then she added to the milieu and pandemonium. She took over the timing job, but it was soon clear that no-one was calm enough to do it very accurately. Talk about hyper. At some point, I really didn't give a darn how far apart they were, just that they were really starting to hurt like hell. I was so extremely nervous and excited. I remember the car trip up T.V. Highway to Tuality Community Hospital in the middle of the night. The roads were all but deserted. Grammy was holding it together as best she could, but still a nervous wreck. Daddy was hyper and excited, and a little worried I think. I think I liked going into labor in the middle of the night. Not so many people running around and all the noise. The hospital was quiet and peaceful, for that I am grateful. They put us in a tiny little pre-delivery room to check to see if this was it, or if they should send me home. I was so scared they would send me home and I would have to wait out the pain. They checked us write in! I was already very very dilated by the time I showed up, just no water broken. I can't remember who called Tracy, but she showed up pretty darned quick. For some bizarre reason, I remember that she was wearing something like a black corduroy overalls with a white shirt. She brushed my hair and put it in a pony tail for me. This was all much later though, at least it seemed that way to me. Time was a blur. Grandpa Dale showed up pretty quick too. Pain was really becoming an issue for me. I cussed like a sailor. I was scared to death of having an Epidural, but my pain threshold must be pretty low because I broke down and yelled for one. I wish I would have asked right away, next time I will. Here is the downside to going into labor in the middle of the night; the anesthesiologist is at home in bed. I think I kept saying (yelling), "I can't do this anymore." I don't know what I must have been thinking, how was I supposed to stop? Delirium. The truth is that I was a lot farther along than I thought, I might have even been better off with out one. By the time the anesthesiologist showed up, I didn't think I was going to be able to hold still long enough for them to put it in. I was terrified. I started having the urge to push, which should have been my clue that we were close, but no. I asked the anesthesiologist if it made any difference that I was starting to want to push, and she said no. Later I mused that she was just saying that because she had to get out of bed to do all this and she wasn't going to stop now. As soon as the epidural started taking effect I was soooo much happier. That's when the camera came out and spirits lifted. But...The pain numbing of the epidural also stopped the urge to push and Lexie's flight plans were delayed. Dr. Brown wasn't available and for some reason I can't remember the name of the doctor who delivered her. I do remember that he was just about to retire. I believe that the late epidural complicated the progress. Had I had it earlier, it would have been wearing off around the time I needed to participate. Any who... by now it was getting to be late morning December 1st. The doctor said that if I didn't make any progress by noon or 1:00 we would be moved over to the C-section room. Then, as the epidural started to wear off more, things picked up speed, but Lexie hit a speed bump. Her big ole head just wouldn't budge. Time for the vacuum. Boy did that ever freak Frank out. I was just in a state of shock. There was some missed communication between doc and nurse and they released when they shouldn't have. It all worked out in the end though. Beautimus little vacuum headed Lexie was born about 12:23 or somewhere around there. Almost ten pounds. I can't even describe the next two days, but I'll probably try at a later date. Now, it's time for me to go. It's Lucas' birthday today, Tracy's son. I was right there when he was born. Lexie, Daddy and I are going to his b-day get together tonight.
Today I'm grateful for Frank and Lexie, Tuality Hospital, Dr. Brown and Dr. almost retired, Dr. Brown's nurse, Tracy Sierra Lucas and Dana, Mom and Dad, Mom Keller and the Keller family, grilled cheese, really good stretches that make you dizzy, and sandals.
Wednesday, May 11, 2005
Wise men say, only fools rush in...
Another day of tension and turmoil. Meeting scheduled, bulleted lists typed up, evaluations set forth unto paper, expectations high, and a flurry of attitude. Boss man says we are having a Friday the 13th celebration Friday and he's going to disembowel someone. Carrie then asks if we should bring wine glasses. Odd Wednesday. When I was in the fourth grade, I went to a school in California, Hawes Elementary. At the beginning of the day the teacher always had a different student write the day of the week on the chalkboardIn my filtered memory, I recall that the teacher always called on me Wenesday, my hardest to spell. I also used to have big issues with the non-word 'brang'. I was always telling how I 'brang' this or 'brang' that. Instead of outright correcting me, she would ask, "What did you say?" and keep repeating the question until my confused little brain figured out that she was pointing out that I was using bad grammar, not asking what I had said. I BROUGHT it already. To this day, I have issues when I hear someone else say, 'brang'. I also have had difficulty my entire life with writing anything legible on a chalk board. Enough about me though. Who brang doughnuts?
Word(s) of the day: ECHELON, REAR ECHELON
Lexie log: She loves fish tanks. Yesterday after going to the bank and Albertson's, we went into the coffee shop next door to look at their fish tank. We have done this before, but couldn't spend much time as she spilled her drink all over their freshly mopped floor, and then freaked out about loosing her chocolate (previous blog). This time we went in fresh and beverage free. This is how totally cool the tank is: last time I only saw three fish, there are actually ten. It's an octagonal tank with very natural look. A plecostomus, two angel fish, four clown loaches, and three unknown (by me). We watched them for some time.
Today I'm grateful for Frank and Lexie, Carrie's spaghetti, the color orange, multi-colored doilies, hapiness, walking, butterflies, houseflies, barflies, magpies, Marty Feldman's eyes, and silly stuff.
Word(s) of the day: ECHELON, REAR ECHELON
Lexie log: She loves fish tanks. Yesterday after going to the bank and Albertson's, we went into the coffee shop next door to look at their fish tank. We have done this before, but couldn't spend much time as she spilled her drink all over their freshly mopped floor, and then freaked out about loosing her chocolate (previous blog). This time we went in fresh and beverage free. This is how totally cool the tank is: last time I only saw three fish, there are actually ten. It's an octagonal tank with very natural look. A plecostomus, two angel fish, four clown loaches, and three unknown (by me). We watched them for some time.
Today I'm grateful for Frank and Lexie, Carrie's spaghetti, the color orange, multi-colored doilies, hapiness, walking, butterflies, houseflies, barflies, magpies, Marty Feldman's eyes, and silly stuff.
Tuesday, May 10, 2005
I stumble into town just like a sacred cow...
I did get a couple comments on how unflattering my food photos are. Seems like the caca is going to hit the fan perhaps this time it will hit the mark. Caca has been flung at the fan many, many times missing wide each attempt. The catapult has grown and the amount of caca it holds is larger, perhaps this time it will stick. News at 11:00...
All my life, no middle name. Mom and Lloyd decided I should be able to pick out my own when I got older. Never did, close though. And thank goodness I didn't because it was goofy goofy goofy. I wonder if Mom would have actually let me go through with it, I was only about five. Well... now Carrie just decided to give me one because she was trying to scold me, and we all know that doesn't work with out a middle name. She chose Anne. I actually added the 'e' to the end, not really sure why, but it seems prettier. Rachel Anne. Hmm, not bad.
Word(s) of the day: BLUE JEWELRY
Lexie log: She bit me! Something came over her last night and she started running around trying to bite Daddy and me. Daddy had jeans to protect him, but she kept going after my shirt. I made the mistake of picking her up, and she bit me on the shoulder! I have a little mark there now. I hate to say it, but it was funnier than heck. It also hurt like heck. This will not be a habit she takes on. She saw my reaction and the look of hurt and pain on my face, and she almost burst into tears. I didn't even have to scold her. -- We did my favorite thing yesterday. Grammy, Daddy, Lex and I wandered around Albertson's and then Just a buck. It has been raining here for a couple days straight, with no breaks, so we chose an indoor walk. I don't know why, but I just love shopping with Lexie. It has to be one of my favorite things. I heard from Daddy and Grammy that Lexie was a bit more grumpy than usual yesterday. I think she had and Gramma Grammy OD this weekend. This isn't a bad thing, just that she doesn't put on the angel attitude as much since she has seen so much of them all weekend. Grammy brought her two newish movies, by newish I mean new to her. The animations were made long ago. Thumbalina and something having to do with Trolls in Central Park.
Today I'm grateful for Frank and Lexie, Oregon weather, Lying in bed listening to the rain on the deck roof through the open window, NASCAR, ice, Lexie's dancing, music, and family.
All my life, no middle name. Mom and Lloyd decided I should be able to pick out my own when I got older. Never did, close though. And thank goodness I didn't because it was goofy goofy goofy. I wonder if Mom would have actually let me go through with it, I was only about five. Well... now Carrie just decided to give me one because she was trying to scold me, and we all know that doesn't work with out a middle name. She chose Anne. I actually added the 'e' to the end, not really sure why, but it seems prettier. Rachel Anne. Hmm, not bad.
Word(s) of the day: BLUE JEWELRY
Lexie log: She bit me! Something came over her last night and she started running around trying to bite Daddy and me. Daddy had jeans to protect him, but she kept going after my shirt. I made the mistake of picking her up, and she bit me on the shoulder! I have a little mark there now. I hate to say it, but it was funnier than heck. It also hurt like heck. This will not be a habit she takes on. She saw my reaction and the look of hurt and pain on my face, and she almost burst into tears. I didn't even have to scold her. -- We did my favorite thing yesterday. Grammy, Daddy, Lex and I wandered around Albertson's and then Just a buck. It has been raining here for a couple days straight, with no breaks, so we chose an indoor walk. I don't know why, but I just love shopping with Lexie. It has to be one of my favorite things. I heard from Daddy and Grammy that Lexie was a bit more grumpy than usual yesterday. I think she had and Gramma Grammy OD this weekend. This isn't a bad thing, just that she doesn't put on the angel attitude as much since she has seen so much of them all weekend. Grammy brought her two newish movies, by newish I mean new to her. The animations were made long ago. Thumbalina and something having to do with Trolls in Central Park.
Today I'm grateful for Frank and Lexie, Oregon weather, Lying in bed listening to the rain on the deck roof through the open window, NASCAR, ice, Lexie's dancing, music, and family.
Monday, May 09, 2005
There's a hole in my bucket , dear Liza, dear Liza
Now that song's gonna be stuck all day. Children's songs easily wedge themselves into my porous brain. Monday with Humus and Salsa at work. Gina looks like a bottle of Mylanta. If they don't get rid of our manager, someone else is talking of quitting. I keep drafting anonymous suggestions to put in the comment box, but they never make it to paper. Things will play out as they must. I don't have to get my butt in jeopardy by becoming a busy body, but I'll tell you, the person who is rumored to be hunting elsewhere is a great asset to this office. I will have worked here for three years in a little over a month, and completed my next annual self assessment for my review. I'm tired of doing those. Watched Blade Runner this weekend. Haven't seen that for ages, I still love it.
Word(s) of the day: EAR LOBE
Lexie log: Weekend flew by as per... Saturday we went over to Gramma Betty's and Lexie chased the ducks while Frank mowed the front and back yard. We visited with Aunt Patty and neighbor Jay. As usual, his amazingly obnoxious laugh was utterly contagious to Lexie. I start to wonder if he catches on to the fact that she mimics it because it is too outrageous. Mother's Day was great. Picked Gramma Betty up at 9:00 drove out to Yamhill, piled into the RV and off to Lincoln City. Brief stop in Newberg for coffee and scones. I walked to the back of the RV to get Grama Betty a cup to share Grammy's Chai Tea and the RV flounces around making me feel as if I'm a contestant on Fear Factor. Lexie naps on the way to the beach, so all is well. Got to the Chinook a little before noon and had breakfast in the restaurant over looking the ocean. Lexie entertained us all, then Grandpa Dale took her for a walk and play, while the four of us tried to blow 20.00 in the machines. I can't handle it and cash out the second I go over even the slightest of what I put in, ending up with no risk taking, and just a wee bit more than I left with. Betty's first time there and she doesn't get the cash out button. So, she continues to play well after she wants to quit. Then we all went down to the beach where we took turns racing with Lexie back and forth, just narrowly missing the waves. Well, actually I think we all got a little wet. I flew our tiger kite we bought at Just a Buck. We all had a blast. I slept on the floor of the RV on the way home, wrapped up in a quilt, head on a pillow, cruising down the highway horizontal. Always an odd experience for me.
Today I'm grateful for Frank and Lexie, weekends, the Oregon Coast, comforters, RVs, family, noodles, and toes.
Word(s) of the day: EAR LOBE
Lexie log: Weekend flew by as per... Saturday we went over to Gramma Betty's and Lexie chased the ducks while Frank mowed the front and back yard. We visited with Aunt Patty and neighbor Jay. As usual, his amazingly obnoxious laugh was utterly contagious to Lexie. I start to wonder if he catches on to the fact that she mimics it because it is too outrageous. Mother's Day was great. Picked Gramma Betty up at 9:00 drove out to Yamhill, piled into the RV and off to Lincoln City. Brief stop in Newberg for coffee and scones. I walked to the back of the RV to get Grama Betty a cup to share Grammy's Chai Tea and the RV flounces around making me feel as if I'm a contestant on Fear Factor. Lexie naps on the way to the beach, so all is well. Got to the Chinook a little before noon and had breakfast in the restaurant over looking the ocean. Lexie entertained us all, then Grandpa Dale took her for a walk and play, while the four of us tried to blow 20.00 in the machines. I can't handle it and cash out the second I go over even the slightest of what I put in, ending up with no risk taking, and just a wee bit more than I left with. Betty's first time there and she doesn't get the cash out button. So, she continues to play well after she wants to quit. Then we all went down to the beach where we took turns racing with Lexie back and forth, just narrowly missing the waves. Well, actually I think we all got a little wet. I flew our tiger kite we bought at Just a Buck. We all had a blast. I slept on the floor of the RV on the way home, wrapped up in a quilt, head on a pillow, cruising down the highway horizontal. Always an odd experience for me.
Today I'm grateful for Frank and Lexie, weekends, the Oregon Coast, comforters, RVs, family, noodles, and toes.
Friday, May 06, 2005
Oooohhhhhh, She whistled and she.........
I couldn't help it. That song(?) pops into my head every so often, and it's the only thing that came to me this morning. I only know the words to the first verse, Dad would'nt repeat the rest, actually he did once years ago, but I don't remember them. I think I'm glad.
Dinner last night was excellent! First Frank cooked up some cheesy potatoes, then we roasted fish. The fish was remarkable. Uncle Fred brought a bunch down from Alaska on his last visit, and we have been hesitating cooking it, since neither of us ever have. I decided to blog the recipes, from memory, just for the haha of it, and I loved it so much.
Cheesy Tatoe Caserole:
1lb bag of frozen Ore-Ida hasbrown potatoes
16 oz bag shredded mexican blend cheese
16 oz sourcream
one can Campbell's cream of chicken (or mushroom) soup
1/4 cup grated white onion (optional)
Preheat oven to 350-375 degrees. Save one quarter of the cheese for topping. Combine rest of the ingredients in large mixing bowl. Put mixture in glass caserole dish and bake in oven for approx. 45 minutes. During last 5-10 minutes sprinkle additional cheese on top and brown.
Roasted Lemon Salmon:
2 tblsp butter
2 tblsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
lemon
pepper
1 1/2 - 2 lb Salmon
Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Heat butter, olive oil and salt in sauce pan until butter melted. Pour half of butter mixture on bottom of shallow baking dish. Place rinsed, pat dried Salmon in dish skin side up. Pour remaining butter mixture of top of fish and pepper as desired. Place fish in oven and cook for five minutes. Remove from oven and carefully turn Salmon skin side down. Use large spoon to ladel juices from pan over the fish. Sprinkle pepper and squeeze lemon as desired and pour more pan juices if desired. Return to oven and cook additional five minutes. When done, skin should easily peel off fish.
Nummy nummy nummy, and fairly healthy if eaten in moderate portions.
Word(s) of the day: TURKEY SWOOP
Yesterday we watched Ocean's 12. Even though I spent most of the movie confused, I still thought it was excellent. I would love to watch 11 and then 12 again right after. I also want to see Foul Play with Chevy Chase and Goldie Hawn again.
Lexie log: Lexie actually ate some fish and didn't spit it out. -- Lexie likes to stand on the couch behind where we sit, and then grab me around the neck/shoulders and pull me back to squish her. She thinks this is great fun and has been doing it a lot lately. We also have a newish game I call the 'Ribbit game'. There is a large window cling of a frog on the oversized living room windows behind the couch. Lexie sits on my lap, points over my shoulder at the frog and says, "Look!" I turn my head and stare at the frog until she puts her hand on my chin and turns my head to look back at her. Then she stares at me with a big smile on her face and waits some undetermined, random amount of time before she yells, "RIBBIT!", I'm supposed to say it in unison as we give each other a big bear hug. I'm not exactly sure how it started, but we still do it every once in a while. Another thing she likes to do is package herself in her mini-futon Grammy got her. It folds out into a bed with couch back, she climbs in it and folds it back up as tight as she can so that you can barely tell she's in there. A little Lexie futon wrap.
Today I'm grateful for Frank and Lexie, weekends, Mother's Day, my mom (who I still think of as Mommy), dark blue, rainclouds, salmon, hairclips, talking on the phone with Lex, teeth, and recliners.
Dinner last night was excellent! First Frank cooked up some cheesy potatoes, then we roasted fish. The fish was remarkable. Uncle Fred brought a bunch down from Alaska on his last visit, and we have been hesitating cooking it, since neither of us ever have. I decided to blog the recipes, from memory, just for the haha of it, and I loved it so much.
Cheesy Tatoe Caserole:
1lb bag of frozen Ore-Ida hasbrown potatoes
16 oz bag shredded mexican blend cheese
16 oz sourcream
one can Campbell's cream of chicken (or mushroom) soup
1/4 cup grated white onion (optional)
Preheat oven to 350-375 degrees. Save one quarter of the cheese for topping. Combine rest of the ingredients in large mixing bowl. Put mixture in glass caserole dish and bake in oven for approx. 45 minutes. During last 5-10 minutes sprinkle additional cheese on top and brown.
Roasted Lemon Salmon:
2 tblsp butter
2 tblsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
lemon
pepper
1 1/2 - 2 lb Salmon
Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Heat butter, olive oil and salt in sauce pan until butter melted. Pour half of butter mixture on bottom of shallow baking dish. Place rinsed, pat dried Salmon in dish skin side up. Pour remaining butter mixture of top of fish and pepper as desired. Place fish in oven and cook for five minutes. Remove from oven and carefully turn Salmon skin side down. Use large spoon to ladel juices from pan over the fish. Sprinkle pepper and squeeze lemon as desired and pour more pan juices if desired. Return to oven and cook additional five minutes. When done, skin should easily peel off fish.
Nummy nummy nummy, and fairly healthy if eaten in moderate portions.
Word(s) of the day: TURKEY SWOOP
Yesterday we watched Ocean's 12. Even though I spent most of the movie confused, I still thought it was excellent. I would love to watch 11 and then 12 again right after. I also want to see Foul Play with Chevy Chase and Goldie Hawn again.
Lexie log: Lexie actually ate some fish and didn't spit it out. -- Lexie likes to stand on the couch behind where we sit, and then grab me around the neck/shoulders and pull me back to squish her. She thinks this is great fun and has been doing it a lot lately. We also have a newish game I call the 'Ribbit game'. There is a large window cling of a frog on the oversized living room windows behind the couch. Lexie sits on my lap, points over my shoulder at the frog and says, "Look!" I turn my head and stare at the frog until she puts her hand on my chin and turns my head to look back at her. Then she stares at me with a big smile on her face and waits some undetermined, random amount of time before she yells, "RIBBIT!", I'm supposed to say it in unison as we give each other a big bear hug. I'm not exactly sure how it started, but we still do it every once in a while. Another thing she likes to do is package herself in her mini-futon Grammy got her. It folds out into a bed with couch back, she climbs in it and folds it back up as tight as she can so that you can barely tell she's in there. A little Lexie futon wrap.
Today I'm grateful for Frank and Lexie, weekends, Mother's Day, my mom (who I still think of as Mommy), dark blue, rainclouds, salmon, hairclips, talking on the phone with Lex, teeth, and recliners.
Thursday, May 05, 2005
Yo no soy marinero...
Pero, Yo soy nadador.
Adding another person to the list of people not so fond or our current office manager. And this person was befriended by her in the beginning.
Word(s) of the day: QUAGMIRE WHISTLE PEA
Lexie log: Ohhhhh, this morning was so hard! After I got ready for work I went into the room for something, and Lexie was lying awake in bed. She started talking all Lexie cute to me, so I crawled in next to her and we had a long conversation. It was so precious! I tried to leave, but she tackled me. We sat on the couch and talked for a while and I put in a movie to distract her from me leaving. Cutie, cutie, cutie. -- We were planning on going to Sierra's softball practice tonight, but the weather is predicting thunder storms, so probably not. -- Tuesday night Lexie was not in the mood for bed at bedtime, so we had to come up with something to entice her. We turned off all the lights in the house, put her in our bed, and gave her her flashlight. We spent the next 20 minutes playing shadow puppets on the ceiling and laughing. Then she tired out and fell asleep. It was great. -- This weekend we are going to the coast for Mother's Day. Part of me wants it to be sunny and nice, the other part fancies a good storm. -- My two biggest dreams for family activities are to go to Disney World and Mexico. I hope we get to do both before she turns 16.
Today I'm grateful for Frank and Lexie, hopes and dreams, weather, eyes, water, steam, eucalyptus, ruins, trees, toes, and bread.
Adding another person to the list of people not so fond or our current office manager. And this person was befriended by her in the beginning.
Word(s) of the day: QUAGMIRE WHISTLE PEA
Lexie log: Ohhhhh, this morning was so hard! After I got ready for work I went into the room for something, and Lexie was lying awake in bed. She started talking all Lexie cute to me, so I crawled in next to her and we had a long conversation. It was so precious! I tried to leave, but she tackled me. We sat on the couch and talked for a while and I put in a movie to distract her from me leaving. Cutie, cutie, cutie. -- We were planning on going to Sierra's softball practice tonight, but the weather is predicting thunder storms, so probably not. -- Tuesday night Lexie was not in the mood for bed at bedtime, so we had to come up with something to entice her. We turned off all the lights in the house, put her in our bed, and gave her her flashlight. We spent the next 20 minutes playing shadow puppets on the ceiling and laughing. Then she tired out and fell asleep. It was great. -- This weekend we are going to the coast for Mother's Day. Part of me wants it to be sunny and nice, the other part fancies a good storm. -- My two biggest dreams for family activities are to go to Disney World and Mexico. I hope we get to do both before she turns 16.
Today I'm grateful for Frank and Lexie, hopes and dreams, weather, eyes, water, steam, eucalyptus, ruins, trees, toes, and bread.
Wednesday, May 04, 2005
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!
Every day, one of the duties of my job is to talk to people who have made the mistake of thinking their insurance company will do one thing, then they turn around and do something else. So...Naturally I presume that I am educated enough to avoid this hazard. NOT! After all the calls I get where a patient is frustrated, angry, upset, confused, because their insurance didn't pay for something, or didn't pay as much as they expected, I thought I was diligent and researched the pharmacy benefits for mail order prescription. They charged me $40.00 more than I read in the benefits booklet it would cost for my prescription. When I go back to read the benefits online, the page won't load, and when I call they wont even be open for another hour and a half. Now, my checking account overdrafted $37.51 and then I got a $28.00 overdraft fee. I haven't even had the account a whole year yet! On top of that, now after we pay our car payment we will only have $26.00 for the next week an a half. If I at least wouldn't have transferred double the rent, the money would have been in there before Monday, and I wouldn't have gotten the $28.00 fee. I wanted to pay the car insurance on this paycheck, guess not. The kicker of it all, is that everyone keep praising that April has three payday Fridays, while most months only have two. I was actually daft enough to feel a little excited myself. Why on earth does anybody get excited about three paycheck in a month? Bizarre. Anywho, after three wonderful months of not having to worry from paycheck to paycheck about finances, our Federal tax refund is now spent and we are back to the tennis match. As families have said throughout all time, "...at least we still have each other..."
The above sob story combined with my fears that Felix, our 15 year old cat, is getting sickly have been a great platform for me to launch off into self-pity. Woe is me. I just called our old vet and found out that Felix is 15years 29days old. We missed his birthday. The biggest, and maybe only, pitfall of having so many pets is that it is impossible to be able to afford their vet care. Then I took this age expectancy quiz and found that at current rate my life expectancy is 63! Too many chores, too little energy, too many fears, too little finance, yada yada yada. I really have to shake this. Ok, now, grab strap and hold on.
Word(s) of the day: LEDERHOSEN
Lexie log: Immediately when I got home, Lex was running circles around me, hugging my legs, grabbing my hand, pulling me and saying, "Come on Mommy. Come on." She wasn't even really taking me anywhere specific, she just wanted us to go somewhere. She had little mini tantrums as I went about 'landing' from work and changing into Mommy clothes. She still doesn't have much of a grasp on patience and assumes that if you aren't doing what she's asking right that very moment, you have refused her and all is lost. 'Just a minute', 'I'm coming', 'Hold on', 'A little bit later', all mean 'NO!' to her. She was literally hanging on to the seat of my pants as I walked through the house to put my purse down, put stuff away, get changed, etc. She even linoleum skied behind me as I walked up the hall. Halfway down the hall she let loose, fell to her knees and wailed. Finally we made it out the front door to wander, her favorite activity. I'm gaining a new appreciation for it through her eyes. We walked around the court and finally I got up the courage to check out the house opposite ours that is vacant and for sale. The sellers have been doing a lot of yard work in the front and the back, and well...I'm just plain nosey and explorative. We went through the chain link gate (after Lexie attempted to climb it, just because she is in a climbing phase), and explored the mirror image back yard of our own. We explored the vacant yard for about 15-20 minutes, then headed back to our own. At some point she had encounter with a Prickly Lettuce weed and now has a ring of prickles on her shin that is tender to the touch. Back on our own turf I refilled our three hummingbird feeders, while Lexie spent some quality time demolishing the copious gossamer balls of pappus that dominant our patch of grass. Then it was off to the store for some soup, and off to sleep for her. Nothing better than a short trip to Safeway to cinch the deal on a good two hour nap. -- Lexie is very picky about what form she will eat most meats in. She still flat refuses any fish we have given her, she takes chicken in about any fashion, but pork and beef are tricky. She really likes hot dogs and lunch meat, but we stopped eating both ever since we learned how unhealthy they can be. She like hamburgers from McDonalds and they are super cheap, but greasy and I suppose unhealthy as well. I thought she might like to try some Campell's Chunky beef sirloin soup. Nope! I left out mostly all the soup part, and just left the meat and vegetables, and she wouldn't touch it. For dinner she ate a sandwich Daddy made her after she refused my choice. His sandwich was pretty excellent though. Oroweat HealthNut bread (crust removed ala Daddy), a little mayo, slice of cheese and pepper ham sliced deli fresh from our earlier Safeway trip. Heated for 15 seconds and Voila'! She loved it. No veggies though. -- Lexie has always been a bit of a climber, and now she is on a climbing spree. Monday she tried to climb our backyard fence (Grammy eyewitness), every time we are in the kitchen she is trying to climb the cupboards to get to the sink or on the counter, she tries to use the closed drawers as ladder rungs, and yesterday afternoon she tried to scale the neighbors chain link fence. Monkey girl.
Blog bibliography:
Dandelion
Life Expectancy
Rock Creek Vet (Dr. Tsui is awesome)
Prickly Lettuce
Today I'm grateful for Felix, Frank and Lexie, felines, very strong dark French roast coffee with sweetener and mocha mix, starlings and pigeons, Aunt Christine and her food and heating pads, eggs, Mexican food, and Love.
The above sob story combined with my fears that Felix, our 15 year old cat, is getting sickly have been a great platform for me to launch off into self-pity. Woe is me. I just called our old vet and found out that Felix is 15years 29days old. We missed his birthday. The biggest, and maybe only, pitfall of having so many pets is that it is impossible to be able to afford their vet care. Then I took this age expectancy quiz and found that at current rate my life expectancy is 63! Too many chores, too little energy, too many fears, too little finance, yada yada yada. I really have to shake this. Ok, now, grab strap and hold on.
Word(s) of the day: LEDERHOSEN
Lexie log: Immediately when I got home, Lex was running circles around me, hugging my legs, grabbing my hand, pulling me and saying, "Come on Mommy. Come on." She wasn't even really taking me anywhere specific, she just wanted us to go somewhere. She had little mini tantrums as I went about 'landing' from work and changing into Mommy clothes. She still doesn't have much of a grasp on patience and assumes that if you aren't doing what she's asking right that very moment, you have refused her and all is lost. 'Just a minute', 'I'm coming', 'Hold on', 'A little bit later', all mean 'NO!' to her. She was literally hanging on to the seat of my pants as I walked through the house to put my purse down, put stuff away, get changed, etc. She even linoleum skied behind me as I walked up the hall. Halfway down the hall she let loose, fell to her knees and wailed. Finally we made it out the front door to wander, her favorite activity. I'm gaining a new appreciation for it through her eyes. We walked around the court and finally I got up the courage to check out the house opposite ours that is vacant and for sale. The sellers have been doing a lot of yard work in the front and the back, and well...I'm just plain nosey and explorative. We went through the chain link gate (after Lexie attempted to climb it, just because she is in a climbing phase), and explored the mirror image back yard of our own. We explored the vacant yard for about 15-20 minutes, then headed back to our own. At some point she had encounter with a Prickly Lettuce weed and now has a ring of prickles on her shin that is tender to the touch. Back on our own turf I refilled our three hummingbird feeders, while Lexie spent some quality time demolishing the copious gossamer balls of pappus that dominant our patch of grass. Then it was off to the store for some soup, and off to sleep for her. Nothing better than a short trip to Safeway to cinch the deal on a good two hour nap. -- Lexie is very picky about what form she will eat most meats in. She still flat refuses any fish we have given her, she takes chicken in about any fashion, but pork and beef are tricky. She really likes hot dogs and lunch meat, but we stopped eating both ever since we learned how unhealthy they can be. She like hamburgers from McDonalds and they are super cheap, but greasy and I suppose unhealthy as well. I thought she might like to try some Campell's Chunky beef sirloin soup. Nope! I left out mostly all the soup part, and just left the meat and vegetables, and she wouldn't touch it. For dinner she ate a sandwich Daddy made her after she refused my choice. His sandwich was pretty excellent though. Oroweat HealthNut bread (crust removed ala Daddy), a little mayo, slice of cheese and pepper ham sliced deli fresh from our earlier Safeway trip. Heated for 15 seconds and Voila'! She loved it. No veggies though. -- Lexie has always been a bit of a climber, and now she is on a climbing spree. Monday she tried to climb our backyard fence (Grammy eyewitness), every time we are in the kitchen she is trying to climb the cupboards to get to the sink or on the counter, she tries to use the closed drawers as ladder rungs, and yesterday afternoon she tried to scale the neighbors chain link fence. Monkey girl.
Blog bibliography:
Dandelion
Life Expectancy
Rock Creek Vet (Dr. Tsui is awesome)
Prickly Lettuce
Today I'm grateful for Felix, Frank and Lexie, felines, very strong dark French roast coffee with sweetener and mocha mix, starlings and pigeons, Aunt Christine and her food and heating pads, eggs, Mexican food, and Love.
Tuesday, May 03, 2005
Grammy's job descrip
Well, I found this an interesting read and thought I'd pass it along so Lexie can read what Grammy does on a typical day at work. Actually both Grammy and Grandad have had an amazing amount of education and work experience. I wish I had a biography for the two of them. You'll have to make sure you listen good to them both. Here is a description Grammy emailed me about her basic job duties:
Grammy typed..., "Got started writing an entire little thesis on what I do but that's way beyond what you asked for soooo screeching halt on all that."
I work for Merix Corporation making printed circuit boards. Here's their url if you're curious: http://www.merix.com/
I work in the Outer Layers AOI (Automated Optical Inspection) department. Here an url for the machine I work with: http://www.orbotech.com/products_mi_vision.html . Basically the AOI scans boards with lasers to fluoresce the laminate and compares the results to cam (computer aided manufacturing) images. It captures the x,y coordinates of possible defects. The operators (me) set parameters for trace size, scan speed, space size, material type etc. to scan the particular board. We look at results to eliminate false defects and get the number of defects down below 20 per boards (if possible) Some boards with over etch problems etc. can have defects in the hundreds or thousands. The AOI's are very quirky, some work better on one type of board and others catch fewer false defects etc. Operators fiddle with settings to get the best on the first board and then run the rest of the order with some fiddling along the way. We can get quite good with our fiddling. In outer layers we're looking at the top and bottom of the finished boards. In inner layers they look at all the inside layers (there's more of them but they aren't as complicated.) After us the boards get cleaned, solder mask and nomenclature but on then finishing and final inspection. If we miss things and inspection misses what we miss, the customer gets it. Our machines have to be good and part of our job is to make sure they are doing what they are supposed to do.
I also Verify. Verifiers use the data base of x,y coordinates from the AOI machine and with a spinning table top and magnifying camera allow the verifier operator to look at each defect. We then decide 1) it's a false one skip it, 2) it's a real one but I can fix it with my exacto knife (or other tools) or 3) it's a real one but I can't fix it so send it to rework. I verified the longest so far and like it the best because time zips by and you know how I love hand work.
I also do some other jobs, some with the AOI machine (hole check, checking for debris is holes in the boards before they go on to other processes; and microvia checking.) I also can beep test with is a sort of continuity test for registration between layers of the PCB's (they can have up to 30 layers). What else can I say. We do have difficult orders to struggle thru and we have some very hot orders but there is little real stress in the jobs, they are pretty active so time flies (very important for 12 hour days) and I get along very well with the people.
That's the short version. (Sometimes I miss office work but with home computers I can still satisfy my need for clerking (which I also loved for many years.)
Smooch"
The End. Thanks Grammy/Mom.
The End. Thanks Grammy/Mom.
It was a one-eyed, one-horned flyin' purple people eater.
Today is already better than yesterday. Moods were tense here, and I'm not sure if it was just me or a few of us were on edge. Later on in the day, after I'd already blogged, I did have a tizzy over what I felt was people who have never known different passing judgment on a group of people that (to me anyway) classes them as less than them. How can anyone be better than anyone else? Choice is also a deceptive concept. How many choices people have to make every moment without knowing or understanding the consequences. Where does innocence go? Enough.
Word(s) of the day: VINCULUS
Lexie log: Gramma Betty got Lexie some new tennirunners Sunday, since I seem to have lost the ones Grammy got her. I was pretty excited that we went so long without losing a toy, bootie, hat, sock, jacket, etc., then I go and let the shoes walk off. Lexie and Grammy took them for a test run yesterday and now I have to detail them. They're really cool from the movie Madagascar and they light up. I didn't pick them out. Daddy picked them out. -- Yesterday was Grammy's visit day, and as usual, Lexie gets very possessive over Grammy. When I get home from work I actually have to chase her around and tickle her so that she won't get mad and try to keep me separate from Grammy. She fell asleep during dinner, so she had to eat later, after Grammy left. Before Grammy left, we sat in the office and played/discussed Neopets while Lexie napped. Another Neopets junkie is born. Later that evening, she finished watching Jimmy Neutron for the umpteenth time, and we had another dance session to the credits. I was so inspired by the joy of dancing, I was moved to make an attempt at getting our home theatre system to play the radio. Yeah Mommy! Mommy vs. Marantz; Marantz 0, Mommy WON! Hehehe... We danced to loud music in the living room. It was great. Then, as is the case lately, we all went to bed on time! Woohoo!
Today I'm grateful for Frank and Lexie, coffee, bananas, dancing, music, hope, flowers, light, scratched itches, smiles, horses, chlorophyll, oxygen, sweet and sour sauce, free range chickens, wild caught salmon, friends, family, family friends, friendly families, and life.
Word(s) of the day: VINCULUS
Lexie log: Gramma Betty got Lexie some new tennirunners Sunday, since I seem to have lost the ones Grammy got her. I was pretty excited that we went so long without losing a toy, bootie, hat, sock, jacket, etc., then I go and let the shoes walk off. Lexie and Grammy took them for a test run yesterday and now I have to detail them. They're really cool from the movie Madagascar and they light up. I didn't pick them out. Daddy picked them out. -- Yesterday was Grammy's visit day, and as usual, Lexie gets very possessive over Grammy. When I get home from work I actually have to chase her around and tickle her so that she won't get mad and try to keep me separate from Grammy. She fell asleep during dinner, so she had to eat later, after Grammy left. Before Grammy left, we sat in the office and played/discussed Neopets while Lexie napped. Another Neopets junkie is born. Later that evening, she finished watching Jimmy Neutron for the umpteenth time, and we had another dance session to the credits. I was so inspired by the joy of dancing, I was moved to make an attempt at getting our home theatre system to play the radio. Yeah Mommy! Mommy vs. Marantz; Marantz 0, Mommy WON! Hehehe... We danced to loud music in the living room. It was great. Then, as is the case lately, we all went to bed on time! Woohoo!
Today I'm grateful for Frank and Lexie, coffee, bananas, dancing, music, hope, flowers, light, scratched itches, smiles, horses, chlorophyll, oxygen, sweet and sour sauce, free range chickens, wild caught salmon, friends, family, family friends, friendly families, and life.
Monday, May 02, 2005
Go Toora Loora Toora Loo-Rye-Aye
Monday, Monday, Monday. And the first of weekday of the month. Report, report report. Job, job, job, money, money, money, etc. etc. etc.
All I'll say about work today is that I am having an a continuous succession of irritable with others moments strung together between off in my own little world glee. I am letting myself get too wound up about peds nurse Sherry C. She is coming across very snobbish. I really need to work on dropping this.
Word(s) of the day: WATER HEAD
Lexie log: Daddy and Lexie call each other 'Water heads'. They go back and forth saying, "You're a water head", "No, you're a water head", ... And so on, and so forth. -- We had a great time at the Walk America. At first when we went to pick up our T-shirt, Lexie must have caught on to my frustrated attitude at all the people cutting between us and the table, she started to cry. Then I paid more attention to the fact that she was stuck in the stroller with tons of people and she is at their knee level, all kinds of talking and noise. Not the most peaceful environment. We hustled out of there as soon as we could, I was a little more aggressive at getting my turn in line, and we found our way to Karina, Alyssa, LB and her sister Jodi. The Peds nurse mentioned above unloaded the clinic banner, with Lexie's picture, on me as soon as she saw me. LB, Jodi and I took turns carrying it. Then, snob nurse, and her crew took off 45 minutes before the walk started so they could get it over with. I'm still not happy about that. Oh well, there stuff, not ours. I enjoyed walking with the six of us and got along just great with LB in an out of work environment. Lexie got along famously with Karina's daughter Alyssa. She carried Lexie, held her hand, gave her a ride on her shoulders. Lexie found a new best friend, and by the end of the it was very difficult to pull Lex away from her. We had to trick her into a hand swap. Then Lexie just had an absolute blast dancing to the live band Five Guys named Mo. She just loved it. She tried to imitate another couple of kids who were break dancing, and made an attempt at the worm. This move involve falling forward to the ground in a semi-graceful looking manner that resembles the movement of an inch worm. Lexie looks more like the 'timber', as she belly flops to the ground, palm first, at least. She keeps trying to practice this ever since. It's a little unnerving. We had to leave the dance area when she began to make attempts at getting on-stage. We basically left with her kicking and screaming to get back there. We ate a free lunch/snack and she was asleep before we were back on the west side. We took a nice little nap when we got home. Sunday we watched Zoolander, which we have seen before and think is awesomely funny, but the DVD was scratched up so we had a few issues. We took it back in and they let us replace it with another movie, so we picked Ocean's 12. Then we went to Gramma Betty's and they played for a couple hours. Another great weekend. Right now, Grammy is on her way down for a visit. When I get off work, I'll pick up Frank to go work out and Grammy will take Lexie for a walk. I'm feeling melancholy about Lex and want to just play with her today, so Grammy agreed we would find something for all of us to do when I get home.
Today I'm grateful for Frank and Lexie, fun activities, free stuff, appliances, water, books, music, and laughter.
All I'll say about work today is that I am having an a continuous succession of irritable with others moments strung together between off in my own little world glee. I am letting myself get too wound up about peds nurse Sherry C. She is coming across very snobbish. I really need to work on dropping this.
Word(s) of the day: WATER HEAD
Lexie log: Daddy and Lexie call each other 'Water heads'. They go back and forth saying, "You're a water head", "No, you're a water head", ... And so on, and so forth. -- We had a great time at the Walk America. At first when we went to pick up our T-shirt, Lexie must have caught on to my frustrated attitude at all the people cutting between us and the table, she started to cry. Then I paid more attention to the fact that she was stuck in the stroller with tons of people and she is at their knee level, all kinds of talking and noise. Not the most peaceful environment. We hustled out of there as soon as we could, I was a little more aggressive at getting my turn in line, and we found our way to Karina, Alyssa, LB and her sister Jodi. The Peds nurse mentioned above unloaded the clinic banner, with Lexie's picture, on me as soon as she saw me. LB, Jodi and I took turns carrying it. Then, snob nurse, and her crew took off 45 minutes before the walk started so they could get it over with. I'm still not happy about that. Oh well, there stuff, not ours. I enjoyed walking with the six of us and got along just great with LB in an out of work environment. Lexie got along famously with Karina's daughter Alyssa. She carried Lexie, held her hand, gave her a ride on her shoulders. Lexie found a new best friend, and by the end of the it was very difficult to pull Lex away from her. We had to trick her into a hand swap. Then Lexie just had an absolute blast dancing to the live band Five Guys named Mo. She just loved it. She tried to imitate another couple of kids who were break dancing, and made an attempt at the worm. This move involve falling forward to the ground in a semi-graceful looking manner that resembles the movement of an inch worm. Lexie looks more like the 'timber', as she belly flops to the ground, palm first, at least. She keeps trying to practice this ever since. It's a little unnerving. We had to leave the dance area when she began to make attempts at getting on-stage. We basically left with her kicking and screaming to get back there. We ate a free lunch/snack and she was asleep before we were back on the west side. We took a nice little nap when we got home. Sunday we watched Zoolander, which we have seen before and think is awesomely funny, but the DVD was scratched up so we had a few issues. We took it back in and they let us replace it with another movie, so we picked Ocean's 12. Then we went to Gramma Betty's and they played for a couple hours. Another great weekend. Right now, Grammy is on her way down for a visit. When I get off work, I'll pick up Frank to go work out and Grammy will take Lexie for a walk. I'm feeling melancholy about Lex and want to just play with her today, so Grammy agreed we would find something for all of us to do when I get home.
Today I'm grateful for Frank and Lexie, fun activities, free stuff, appliances, water, books, music, and laughter.
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