Day 240 - Luck

I have written about the kids and their bikes being stolen. It has
happened too many time in the past 10 years.

I came home tonight after having been at taekwondo and found them
unlocked with the lock & keys to all of the bike locks just sitting
there.

Luck was with us. An astute thief could not only have gotten these two
bkes but also our two road bikes locked on the porch. We lucked out.

A New Day

About a year ago, I started seriously blogging.  I started it earlier on a whim, but never really knew what I wanted it to be, so I kind of flipped all around until I got into a groove of posting with some frequency.

The purpose of this blog was to be like how I am.  In the course of conversation, I can flip between many thoughts and subject - and sometimes, I do so quickly - so quickly that if you are talking to me, then you get a bit of whiplash as you go.

Maybe it is all of the change that has occurred in my life in 2009, but I've realized one big thing about myself more recently.  I keep people at arms length - and I've started doing that with the blog as well.

I laughed the other day as Garbanzo and I were talking about this subject because the analogy of what I'm doing hit me like a ton of bricks - or an 8-month project at work that has been driving me crazy.

One of the things I've struggled with personally is trying to make sure that the Emmy I present in situations is the same Emmy I present in other situations.  It's okay if what I say or do not say is different  - just as long as the person delivering it is the same.  What I have noticed is that I am not necessarily the same.  In some cases, it is different enough that people who know me in multiple situations are a bit taken back when they see the other parts emerge.

Why do I bring up the project?  I have been lecturing the team handing our integration between us and our partners to attack the situation in two parts - keep the format separate from the data.  For two months, I have lectured them that this is the only way you can truly figure out why errors are occurring.  And, here I am, realizing the same thing is the problem with myself.  Yeah, I'm a geek.

While it is not always inappropriate to have a different face you put on in certain situations, I have found stuck in having to always use that face.  Instead of it being situational where it makes sense, it is becoming constant.  And, I'm finding I am taking some of those mannerisms into other parts of my life.  While not necessarily uncommon, I do not like what I'm allowing to bleed over, if you will.

A few months ago, I got feedback from someone that pointed out my approach in a particular situation was sending the wrong message - a negative message that I was not at all intending to send.  Being who I am, I got mad.  That was one person's opinion.  But, I'm analytical AND stubborn - so I set out to prove to myself that this person was wrong.

What did I find out?  He was fucking right.  Hate it when that happens! (Not really.)

I found that in certain situations - personal & professional - I was holding back how I would normally react whether it be emotionally, physically or even verbally.  Doing so was censoring myself.  Sure, I could justify it all over the place to myself, but in the end, my self-censoring was based on an assumption that was incorrect - and assumption that I never validated.  Why not?  The assumption kept me safe by keeping the person at arms length. 

This "keeping myself emotional safe" with people thing bugs me.  I have had a long LONG history of friendships gone wrong.  People who just sort of get what they want from me, then walk away because they are "done with me".  Even a simply inquiry to them after this happens, never goes well and serves as validation that they are done with me.  So, pretty much, I take a cynical approach with most people in my life - I usually don't let people in without understanding what they want from me as a way of preparing myself for the inevitable departure when they are done.  It usually doesn't mean I will be a bad friend.  It's not in my blood to do that - I will never not help someone even if they drive me crazy.  I can be a bitch, but not in that way.  I just usually go in with preparation for the inevitable point where they have moved on.  Pathetic, huh?

When I have recently let down my guard a bit and let people see more of who I really am?  I am more myself in all situations.  And, I am happier and have more fun and am less reserved then normal.  And people who see this, they respond positively - very positively.  What is tricky though is trying to figure out how to bring that back into all areas of my life.  So that the Emmy everyone sees is pretty much the same regardless of situation - the content is just different. In some ways, it has been easy - but in other areas, it is a bit tricky. 

But this area of my life (the blog part) is an easy area.  As I start morphing back into me, you are going to get to learn more about me and every aspect of my life.  Okay - not necessary EVER aspect, but you are going to learn more.  Hell, I may even start doing HNT on MY blog.  What a wild concept, huh?

I will not go exclusively one direction or another with this thing.  It will still be whatever is bouncing around in my head.  But, like in all areas of my life, I am going to start showing more of who I am and not being afraid to do it.  This is your forewarning.

Day 239 - The Cock Shot

And, because he decided it was the right time to show the girls what his job on the farm was, he did this in front of them:

Ah....nothing like a little barnyard loving for the kids.  Of course, I was there to capture the moment.

While we were there, I took this picture of Derek:

Upon seeing it, he said, "Can you make me skinnier?"
Why yes, yes I can...

What are friends for, huh?

Finally, Indigo decided to practice her death scenes at the farm.

Day 238 - Chickens, Mice, and Scarlett O'Hara

There was a scuffling coming from the chicken area.  Unlike the usual scuffling that occurs when the girls are outside nearby, this one is much more frantic as though there was a predator in the pen with them. 

DJ being the overly anxious kid that she is ran outside, jumped off the porch and into the pen, then screamed "POPO!!"

He quickly ran outside - he too had heard the scuffling and assumed the worst.

Then I hear my name being called with "bring your camera".  I knew it was both alright and worthy of a picture.

This is what DJ found:

Ms Money Penny caught herself a mouse, a mouse who clearly was trying to get at her food.  Garbanzo said she must have snapped its neck.  Regardless, the lesson for the mice in the area is "don't fuck with the chickens." And, "go away, no one will let you live in or around this house."

I should mention that in addition to this one, Katchoo killed three more in the yard this morning.  We suspect that the work next door, chicken feed, and the guy with all of the shit in his yard has all created quite the mouse population.  I doubt my compost pile as well as the neighbors' compost isn't helping deter them. 

They are out of the house - so I'm happier now.

After Garbanzo wrestled Ms Money Penny for her mouse (she did not want to relinquish it), we went to have dinner with our friends.  A few weeks ago, I spoke about our friends from college that get together and have gluttonous food and drink sessions.  We had another one tonight.

Tonight's theme: Southern food.  Beef brisket, collard greens, black eyed peas, hush puppies, fried okra, fried green tomatoes, corn bread, and homemade BBQ sauce made up the dinner menu.  For dessert, Garbanzo made peach pie and Mississippi Mud Pie.  Holy shit were they good.  We are all in a food coma as I type.

I also served as bartender for the night.  At Paige's recommendation, I made Scarlett O'Haras - cranberry juice, southern comfort, dash of lime.  And, found Scarlett's counterpart - the Rhett Butler (southern comfort, Orange curacao, lime juice, lemon juice - shaken in ice).  We drank almost the whole bottle of Southern Comfort. In fact, Garbanzo is passed out in bed as I type.

I have to watch out for Garbanzo when he's been drinking.  A comment was made about wanting to unbutton pants (being so full), and he looks at our friend who said it and said "Honey, I didn't realize it was that kind of party.  And, I thought we would at least wait until the kids have gone to sleep. Then we can work off some dinner."

Our friend the doctor and her husband chuckled along as they pretended they understood the joke.  (It was clear by their faces that they did not.)  Garbanzo's friend & college fraternity brother whose wife he made the comment to was laughing quite loudly because he did understand.  His wife is actually laughing out loud and made some comment about Garbanzo just wanting to see her blue nipple.  (She had breast cancer a couple of years ago, and the dye they used to check lymph nodes has never left her body and has turned her nipple a bluish tint.)  And, I just shook my head wondering at what point is he going to be around our friends and say too much.  Definitely need to limit his alcohol consumption.

Day 237: College & The Beginning

Garbanzo and I met freshman year of college in 1991.  Before we officially met, I always saw him around the dorm.  He was one of those guys you couldn't miss.  Maybe it was the t-shirt he had to wear for three days straight after the airline lost his luggage.  Regardless, my first reaction was "how egotistical is he?"  His t-shirt was white and simply read "Yes, I Am A Model".  Despite the ego question, I thought he was kind of hot, but those were the only two thoughts that had crossed my mind.

A few weeks later, my friend who lived across the hall from me told me about this guy in her Freshman English class who was baking for the class.  The class was entitled Feminist Lit, and he had decided to bake for them to show that a guy can actually be comfortable with a traditional female role.

Yes, the guy was Garbanzo.

What I later discovered was that Garbanzo had a thing for my friend.  She was engaged or some such nonsense, so his chances were nil.  He decided to escort us to the Homecoming Dance.  Escort her was more the accurate statement - I was the third wheel.  We said a few words together, danced, and that was about it.  He was being polite, and I was being tolerant of this guy who clearly had the hots for my friend.  Whatever.

A short time later, he and I ended up in one of those odd, late night talks in one of the common areas of the dorms.  I had somehow earlier that night got dragged into helping him get ready for a date he had with a woman who ended up marrying his best friend years later.  He was making sushi for her and was over his head. The person who dragged me to help did so to show her undying devotion and love for him.  I was starting to feel like a means to an end with people - first him, now her.  When the date went downhill, I ran into him later in the common kitchen.  We started talking - and it ended up being one of those all night talking things.  It was nice, and I liked him.

What blew me away by him as we talked was his passion about things. His devotion to his friends, his love of literature, and his goal to teach just like Mr Bailey.  I walked away going "wow!"  And, he listened to me.  Not the sort of "I want in your pants" pretend listening, but the truly interested kind. 

The friendship we started that night was great.  We started hanging out more and more.  I went to his Shakespeare play he was in.  We went to campus events together.  We would go for walks around campus late at night just talking. 

And, we both sort of hit that place where we knew we should be dating - even though neither of us talked about it.  One problem - I had a "boyfriend".  I use the term loosely really.  I was officially dating someone who was more boy than man in his approach to things.  That was becoming painfully clear as a few months passed.  I had decided it was over.

The night before Thanksgiving break, Garbanzo and I had gone to a concert being held at the college.  I was exhausted from a final; he left early so I wouldn't have to walk back to the dorm alone in the dark.  It was cold outside.  He put his arm around me in an attempt to keep me warm.  When we got into my room, I had left the lights off as my plan was to go right to bed.  He paused, gave me a hug, and whispered "I need to leave before I do something that you may not be happy with me for doing."  We said our goodbyes, and he left.

And I went home and broke up with the boyfriend.

The night I returned from Thanksgiving break, I had to work the glamorous work study job that was food service - and even more glamorous "break down" (dishes).  I got back to the dorm and showered.  I had heard from my roommate that Garbanzo had been looking for me.  I heard from my friend across the hall that Garbanzo had been looking for me.  I heard from the RA that Garbanzo had been looking for me.  After I got dressed in clean clothes, I went out to look for him since he so desperately was looking for me.

I found him walking down to my room again.

We went for a walk.  There is this HUGE playground at the elementary school next to campus.  The college kids played midnight tag on it.  An especially fun game after you've been drinking a bit.  We had ended up there.  The walk was a bit awkward - some conversation about how Thanksgiving went, etc.  He had ended up in the middle of a snowstorm, and he was thrilled.  I gave him a quick rundown of my break and ended it with a small comment about breaking up with that guy I had been dating.

Garbanzo's reaction was interesting.  You could tell he was struggling between being the "concerned friend" and celebrating his luck.  We were climbing around the various part of the play structure.  And, standing on the tire pile, when we paused in our climbing and kissed.

We both smiled at each other afterward.  We had both wanted this to happen.  I told him that I had broken up with the guy because Garbanzo was the kind of guy I wanted to date.  One who cared about me, made me laugh, had passion for things, and knew who I really was.

We kissed some more, at the elementary school near our campus, late at night, in snow.

When we decided we were cold enough, we walked back up the hill to campus and our dorm.  It's funny because a few people figured out almost immediately we were dating - figured it out before we even said anything.

Then there were those (remember that girl who was trying to show her undying devotion to Garbanzo), there were those who didn't figure it out until we kissed in front of them and had an "oh shit" moment. 

It was the beginning of the end, if you will, for us.  And for our respective roommates, it was the beginning of them getting sick of getting locked out of the dorm room because we were having sex (again!).  But, that's a different story.

Eighteen years later, as I watch the college kids at the nearby private university move into their dorms, I cannot help but think about Garbanzo, how we found each other, and all the fun that started that year.  But, I also can't help but think about that kiss - that kiss I get still to this day.

Don't Be A Tool!

"Men have become the tools of their tools" - Henry David Thoreau

We have become cut over to the new system this weekend.  The system is our core business financial system or ERP system.  I won't get into details as to which large one we are tearing out, and what small one we are installing in its place.  But, the project has really brought out one thing - people's over reliance on tools.  When I saw this quotation by Thoreau, my feelings on the subject were properly summarized.

As an IT geek, you would think I am very "pro-technology", but I can't say that is universally true.  I am more in the mindset of using the right tool for the job. When I am going to weed, I don't grab whatever tool happens to be sitting nearest me in the tool area.  I think about what I'm trying to tackle, decide if I even need an implement for the job, and go forth and tackle it.

I love gadgets and tools; don't get me wrong.  But, they should never replace thinking and analyzing.

In our case at work, the old system did replace thinking and analyzing and decision making.  Enter a sales order, for example, and you don't even need to think about some of the key parameters that make up a sales order.  Why?  We made the decision to default those into the order based on a couple of key pieces of info entered by the user.  We decided not to trust the person at the keyboard - not to trust their training, their intelligence, or their manager to hold them accountable.  In other words, they became a tool to the tool.

This issue came out of the project early on when we talked to the users about why they did certain things.  They had no idea.  It was what they were told.  Upon analysis, we traced back some of these things to systems we had around 15 years ago....systems that had been long since replaced.  And, replaced with systems that did not require those same things.  People started waking up to the fact we had been allowing our own work to be driven by the systems.  For some, they were dumbfounded.  For others, they were angry at themselves mainly for just accepting bull shit answers when they raised the questions.

The new system is just a system.  No bells and whistles.  No automated processes that replace human thinking.  No answers spit out of the system - only data for someone to analyze to find the answer. 

I suspect there will be some people who can't make the mental shift.  Some are clearly not thinkers but doers.  They want to push a button and have the work done for them.  Others are excited.  They love knowing all of the "whys" behind the new system.  Unlike in the past when IT has been very much like the "wonderful Wizard of Oz" where we keep the curtain drawn away from what is really happening, we instead tore the curtain away and explained it all.  Want to know why you have to enter that info into a sales order?  If you don't, accounting can't collect the money from the customer on that order.  Reactions are now "oh, shit - that's REALLY important".  Amazing how powerful things are when you involve and explain.

Why do I share all of this with you?  Because it is easy in this day and age to allow yourself to become a slave to the tools.  Tools cannot replace your brain.  They are aids only.  If you have them, but don't know why you need them or how to use them, maybe you should go back and ask what you are trying to do.  You may discover you are looking at it the wrong way - and you are becoming a tool to your tools.

Day 236: Pimp My Ride

In the lot across from our building, they are starting to prep the lot
for building. It is quite ironic really since every other building in
the area including ours is for lease right now.

The truck caught my attention for obvious reason: the mural. Made me
think of those 70s full sized vans...the ones with that would have
classic rock blaring, a mattress in the back for 'action', and a
bumper sticker on the back that would say 'if the van is a rockin,
don't bother knockin!'

Does that mean go away? Or come on in & join the fun?

Make New Friends, But Keep the Old

Friendships ebb and flow in life.  People who have a strong presence in your life one day can fade off in to the background another day and stay there.  I know that is how life goes.

This knowledge, however, never makes the transition process any easier especially when you notice it has ebbed when it had been flowing, and something drew attention to this fact - a fact you hadn't clearly noticed until that moment.. Being the overly reflective & analytical person I am, I wonder how it happened. What there something there a particular event that triggered this change, or was it just work and family getting in the way of friends?

And, because I know I can be too cerebral, I usually keep this to myself.  Don't want to start something that isn't there and all.

I have a very good friend from elementary school that has faded into the background years ago, but continually surprises me with his presence.  I think text messaging has made our friendship stronger. 

He and I met when we were 10 years old in the 5th grade.  His family had just moved to the small town, and we hit it off immediately.  He has always been one of my best friends.  When all of the "girl drama" of high school hit its stride, he was there to show me what friendship was all about.  He is a great guy.

People used to wonder why he and I never dated.  The big reason - he's gay.  I knew he was gay before he did.  Maybe it was the night he told me about his girlfriend and him making out in the tent in the backyard.  His dad had set it up to air it out, and they took refuge in it for a make out session.  She wanted more - and was clearly prepared to get more when she shed her clothes and produced a condom.  She was literally chased by him all around that small tent.  She wanted his clothes off; and he wasn't having it.  His story made me laugh hysterically (that's the kind of friend I am).  In the end, he begged off by saying something about his virtues - he was the son of a preacher man and all.

I knew what the real issue was - he wasn't attracted to her because she had tits instead of a cock.  Poor guy - his beard hadn't realized her role in his life.

A couple years later after high school, his gay life and his "fake straight one" collided. He attended a good Lutheran college along with lots of good Lutherans kids including one special boy.  He did have a girlfriend (read: beard) the first year of college.  Supposedly he lost his virginity to her. Being a good friend, I questioned it.  You do recall the story from above, right?  He swore alcohol was not involved, but I seriously doubt its presence was not key if said virginity was lost.

In the end, the closet door was flung open when the mom of his special boy friend discovered her little boy was gay.  She tossed my friend out of the closet with his parents as well.  (You recall the comment about being the son of a preacher man, right? Yeah, went over like a lead balloon!)  He never denied it with me, but he did work hard at discrediting the mom.  In the end, I told him I was fine with it if he were gay.  He still didn't come out to me - he waited to do that officially the night before Garbanzo and I got married.  I laughed at him that night too as I pointed out to him all of the ways he told me he was gay before he came right out with it.  He conceded that my lack of surprise should not have surprised him given the evidence I put forth.

Before you think I am a royal bitch with all of this laughter, I should mention my old dear friend had many a joke on me too.  He was convinced that since I was blond that I was a true blond joke waiting to happen.  He is still waiting, by the way.

But, it never stops him from trying to find a blond joke I haven't heard of.  I usually disappointed him by pointing out that I had heard it, and it wasn't good.  I usually pulled out better ones.  Like the blond who when talking to a couple of brunettes started crying when they were guessing the gender of their unborn child based on sexual position used during conception.  On top meant one brunette was going to have a boy while missionary meant the other one was having a girl.  Why was the blond crying? She believe she was having puppies.

To this day, I will get blond jokes from my friend of 26 years - just now days it is via text message.  Like the brunette mentioning to her blond sister that she had had sex with a Brazilian.  Her blond sister replied, "you slut.  Now,  how many is a Brazilian?" 

Or the one I got recently about what do you do when a blond throws a pin at you?  Run like hell because she has a grenade in her mouth. 

That last one I recently got during the middle of a horrible, HORRIBLE day at work.  I got it towards the end of the meeting I was in - I started laughing so hard I was almost crying. Everyone was wondering what was wrong with me.  I didn't care.  At that moment, he gave me exactly what I needed.  I needed the realization that everything I was dealing with was not as serious as it may seem.  I needed laughter to break the tension, to restore my sense of humor and my balance with life.

I replied to his text simply, "I love you!  Thank you!"

His reply: "I knew only you would find that as funny as I did.  Anytime. And I love you too!"

Day 235 - Jumping the Shark

Jumping the shark is a phrase used to mark the turning point for tv shows.  It usually indicates the point when the show is on its way out.  The ratings suck, and now they are resorting to the absurd in a half-ass attempt to "save the show".

If you are old enough (or have caught enough Happy Days reruns), you may remember the time when Fonzie jumps the shark on water skis.  That was the beginning of the end for that show.  But gave us a great phrase.

Why did I think of this?  Well, as I was running tonight, I saw this:

Kind of made me wonder what, if anything, jumped the shark.  The neighborhood? The House?  My running route? 

Ah, Irony, My Old Friend

Last week, Garbanzo took the girls shopping for their school supplies.  Unlike most kids who are trying to pretend that school is not going to start, my kids are counting down the days.  Meanwhile, Garbanzo the Teacher is trying to slow down time using all of his comic book knowledge trying to tap into a hidden super power.

The girls presented their 1st grade and 4th grade school supply lists, and they were off to Fred Meyer (think a localized Super Walmart - one stop shopping).  Almost $200 later, they came home with supplies.

Garbanzo later that night when I was getting their purchases out of the middle of the dining room began ranting about the cost of the school supplies.  And, wondering why he was buying so many of the items on the list - why weren't the teachers?! 

You've picked up that my loving and talented husband Garbanzo is a teacher, right?  If not, he will be starting year #11 in the public school sector, and he taught 2 years in the private sector.  He has taught preschool through 8th grade. 

His current place of employment, the place both kids also attend, is a fairly well-to-do school.  (Like how I soft peddled the fact the parents are freaking rich?)  The school can't afford a librarian, and the parents raise the $30,000 needed for her.  It is insane. 

Knowing this, the teachers (some of them) throw everything and the kitchen sink onto the supply list.  Why not?  Why buy your own disinfectant wipes, if you can start the year with 25 containers of them?

Garbanzo has never taken that tact.  Maybe it was spending too many years teaching at an inner city school where the parents were so poor, you were happy if they showed up to school clean.  Maybe that is what makes Garbanzo grateful for any supplies that show up each year. 

Even when we were just struggling ourselves with a new baby, we were making sure the kids at his school had paper, pencils, crayons, etc.  Each school year, we would make the assumption that he would get nothing from the parents.  And, many times, he was right.

Did the school have a PTA?  Kind of, if you could the parent who led another parent and called it a PTA, a PTA.  While the two woman's hearts were in the right place, they never could see the economics behind fund raising. As a result, many of their attempts yielded very little, if any, return.  The teachers tried to guide, but never had success.

I asked Garbanzo if he ever asked for anything odd on the school supply list.  He said no.  Pencils, paper, pens, markers, scissors, glue, and a three-ring binder were usually his normal requests. Kleenex was a plus, but not expected.  The kids burn through it faster than is really normal anyway, so he would prefer they brought it when needed.  Hand sanitizer is another interesting but not necessary item.  The school supplies soap and water, so they might as well use that first. 

He doesn't ask for Sharpies; he buys his own.  He doesn't ask for disposable cameras; he uses his own digital if a camera is needed.  He doesn't ask for zip-lock baggies; he buys his own.  Same goes for paper towels. 

As he tells his parents when asked what to send to school, he wants well-nourished, well-rested children who are ready and willing to learn.  That is the most important thing the parents can do for their kids.  And, not just day one but throughout the year. 

Meanwhile, we are throwing $200 worth of school supplies at the teachers.  And, we haven't even started picking up the supplies Garbanzo will need.  Thankfully we can write those off on taxes, but still. 

Oh, and did I mention we haven't even gone clothes shopping yet?  Just like all kids, I think my kids outgrew everything.  While Indigo gets hand-me-downs, DJ needs clothes.  And, she's starting to need undershirts and other pre-puberty clothes....but that's another post.

Day 234 - Killers

(Warning: the last picture can be a bit disturbing especially if you have a mouse phobia. Might want to skip the last one.)

I have two killers in the family:

This one is the killer inside of the house:
***Image had to be removed***
His kill numbers have hit the double digits today.  I'm glad Garbanzo, while hate killing anything, has an obsession with getting rid of all of the mice.  I don't know why, but mice in the house just freak me out.  But, clearly we are on the downward side of the issue....assuming, of course, we can get the dogs to stop finding the traps and licking the peanut butter off of them. Damn dogs.

And this one is killing outside of the house:

Garbanzo just deposits them in the trash - no walking around showing everyone his kills.

My cat, on the other hand, she has displayed her kill prominently on the sidewalk. 

Remember my warning above.....

This is what the cat left for me at the top of the steps coming up to our yard.  Oh, and I would like to understand how I always end up with the cats that feel they must bring me back and proudly display their kills for me.  The dead squirrel really did me in with my cat growing up.  Yes, he killed me a squirrel!

Fucking rodents!

Mice Are NOT Nice

Not a fall has gone by when we have not had at least one mouse in our house.  Usually, one gets into the house - a cat kills it thus sending a message to the rest of the area mice that this house is off limits.  It is as if the cats mount the head of the dead mouse outside to warn the others, or something.

The year it got really bad was 2002.  I remember it because it hit its peak right after Indigo was born.  Every freaking time we turned around, the cats had a mouse cornered.  The good news was the fact they didn't get far into the house - but that didn't make the bad news (the fact they were getting into the house) any better.

The neighbor behind us had moved out that fall - and the owner had discovered that she had just been throwing the trash and crap down in the basement.  His workers pulled out 5 huge drop-box sized dumpsters full of trash out of that house.  And, with it, the mouse population was displaced.  And, were finding their way into the house through the mudroom was our suspicion.

The night we hit rock bottom was the night we set and caught about 10 mice in the span of two hours.  Garbanzo was just lamenting the fact he kept hearing the trap snap within 5 minutes of setting it when it snapped again - almost on cue.  While the comedic timing was perfect, the situation was not funny.  We had a two month old and a two year old - and this was NOT okay.  Being the good hormonal post-pregnancy mom, I kept seeing disease and illness infecting my family.  This had to end now!

We sent the girls over to a friend's house, and tore apart the mudroom.  We pulled EVERYTHING out of the place as we knew this is where they were coming into the house.  It did not take long to discover that they were coming in through a hole in the floor.  The previous owners when converting the side porch into a mudroom had drilled a hole into the floor for pipes for the washer.  Any moron could have guessed that this was not going to work.  There are two doors that needed to open and shut, and the location of their hole for the pipes would not have allowed for one of the doors to open.  Oops.  Instead of blocking the hole, they literally just made sure the washer was over the top of it.  Out of sight, out of mind, I guess.  We fixed the hole, sealed up all cracks and crevices, and declared the place mouse-free. 

We found out last winter when our pipes froze during the cold snap just how good of a sealing job we did.  We had to bail water out of the mudroom.  It just sat in there about 3 inches deep. (We had disconnected the hoses and opened the values to allow for thawing.  We weren't home when it thawed.)  I never found a crack or a whole to drain out itself.  Again, I guess our job was done well.

This year, I suspect our mouse problem is due in part for the chickens and their yummy chicken feed.  They are getting into the house due to the fact the backdoor stays open to let the kids and dogs in and out of the house.  The weather went from 100+ degrees down to a high of maybe 68 degrees in the span of one week.  The overnight temps, I suspect, drove a mouse inside.....(just yesterday it was maybe 50 degrees) through an open door or window, more than likely. (We live in a pretty much mosquito free zone, so about half our windows don't currently have screens which until now has not been a concern.  The other day when I mentioned our window replacements - that's remedying the no-screen situation.)

And, as I discovered Saturday, the mice are thriving - on cracked corn otherwise known as chicken scratch.  I know they are because I went to put the chicken scratch into a sealed container and found three small holes in the bottom of the bag.  Further confirmation came when my female calico - the mouse hunter extraordinaire - heard a mouse and leaped into action - quite literally.  She didn't get it, but trapped it inside of a bag - a bag Garbanzo ended up taking outside with the live mouse in it. 

We have resupplied ourselves with traps.  We have also armed ourselves with outdoor traps which is recommended - non-poisonous since we have kids and animals.  We will begin again the process of de-mousing and mouse-proofing the house.  This is truly when the cats earn their keep.  While the male cat is too old to do it (he can barely hear us let alone a small rodent), I know the calico will do her job.  She has already killed two outside that we know of.  And provided the girls quite the "Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom" moment when she caught and tortured a mouse right in front of them yesterday.  When we came home last night, she was on the hunt for the next one.  She had it trapped in a bush.

Meanwhile, inside the house, Garbanzo has trapped 6 mice (my husband not the cat).  Yes, 6 MICE! We believe that we have one more.  The trap under the sink was licked clean of its peanut butter when we got home.  Let's hope this is the last of these fucking rodents.  I HATE mice!  I know - who really loves them....but my hatred for mice in the house goes deep.  Here's to hoping that we are on the downward side of this mouse thing. 

Day 233 - Monday Dinner

Monday, in case you haven't picked this up yet, is taekwondo night.  It is the night when the girls have a class with about an hour break in between - a break that is enough time for dinner.  Once a week, I make the trek from my work to taekwondo - a treacherous one given the freeways I have to take to get there.  But, we try to eat together - that is the goal in addition to watching the girls' taekwondo skills.

We usually go to the little Vegan Thai Restaurant where Garbanzo has befriended the owners.  But, our eating out has gotten a wee bit out of control lately, so I suggest he bring dinner.  There is a small grassy area near a fountain where we could eat.

He went with his Plow Man's Meal.  When in England with his Grandfather when he was a teenager, his Grandfather introduced him to these meals that consist of a hunk of bread, spicy mustard, chutney, an apple, and various cheeses.  They also threw in the occasional pickled veggie.  The idea behind this rustic fare was it could easily be tossed into a lunch pail, and taken into the fields to be eaten. 

I don't really care what it is - I love how he pulls it together.  We will usually add a salad to it - or raw veggies - a nice white wine - maybe some salami or other cured meat.  The kids love the way we toss it all in the middle and everyone grazes.  No formality - just casually sitting around enjoying a meal.  And watching as everyone assembles their meals. 

It was perfect.

Action Shots

I have decided that I am good at taking action shots especially when I am in the right place and light.  Yesterday was a great example of it.  Here are some of the random bike shots I took.  I had on my Nikon 70-300 zoom lens.  A lens I usually have a love-hate relationship with, but was the right lens yesterday.

Had to show the side shots of the two bikes.  The girls kept asking me why those bikes were making weird noises when they zoomed by us on the hills.  I had to explain about tire pressure while at the same time hoping Garbanzo had over-inflated his a bit.  (He had, by the way.)  The first bike I showed was a $15,000 bike.  Garbanzo talked to its owner as he was leaving, and the guy had built it up from the frame.  He said the gearing was the most expensive part of the whole thing.  Not much of a surprise really.

Day 232 - Run Garbanzo Run

I'm sure he will write more about it on his blog later after his nap, but today was Garbanzo's sprint triathlon day.  And, he did fantastic! 

The day started at 5am.  He had to be downtown by 6pm to be written on the Oregon Calligraphy Society.  It was a beautiful morning.

Half a mile of open water swimming in the always polluted Willamette River.  It was a cool 70 degrees making it warmer than the air which helped.  He drank enough of the Willamette River water that he is hoping that the tail he grows is long enough to add more variety in the bedroom.  And in true Garbanzo fashion, he started the race asking his fellow heat-mates if now was the time he should mention he can't swim.  I'm glad he kept his sense of humor despite the nerves.

Garbanzo is sitting without a shirt on the edge of the dock next to the guy who looks like he's freezing.  I must express my love for my camera and lens once again. I was about a quarter of a mile away when I took this shot.  At home, I zoomed in and found him sitting on the dock.

Not everyone was wearing wetsuits which made Garbanzo happy with his decision to skip one. But, a few guys were wearing Speedos....and for them, they were definitely Speed-NOs!

This is the start of Garbanzo's heat. 

Do you see Garbanzo?  Yeah, neither do I.  He is in that group somewhere getting kicked in the head repeatedly.

The start of the bike segment of the tri was an uphill ride.  In fact, about 2/3 of it was uphill.  He actually got a good spot in the transition area, so made a very quick and smooth transition.  This spot also got him a good head start on the run too.

(image removed)

The bike section of the race was interesting.  You had some guys (and I'll show you those later) who are pros....they had the $15,000 bikes.  Then you had newbies on mountain bikes or on commuter bikes (hybrids).  Also, the newbies were having issues with the downhill.  Did you know you go fast on the downhill?  I'll let Garbanzo tell you how fast his downhills were because they were mighty impressive.  Like the pros, Garbanzo was taking advantage of the downhills and not coasting but pedaling down them.  He was also NOT using his brakes.  The dad of one of the pro guys was yelling at the newbies, "Stop braking; it will only hurt you!!" 

And, Garbanzo is demonstrating an ill-fit helmet, by the way.  He didn't even notice it was on he head wrong.  Thank God he didn't crash and need it, I guess.

He transitioned to the run - which I missed because he had mistakenly told me the night before that it was 3 laps - not only 2.  But, I did catch him at the end of his 3.5 mile run.

You could tell he was struggling at this point. But it was also the last 1/4 of a mile.  He finished strong.  They even called his name as he crossed the line.  Pretty cool.

Clearly, he enjoyed himself.  I mean, look at that smile.  After the race, and he is smiling.  Actually he is probably celebrating the fact I told him I would take him to our favorite breakfast spot for French Toast.  He decided about 1/4 of the way into the race today that he wanted French Toast. 

I'm proud of him.  He set this as a goal and did it.  And he did it faster than Hubman's estimations, by the way. Guess the motivation worked! ;-)

Things I've Been Enjoying Lately

Full disclosure: I stole this idea from Ryan at This is Reverb.  He's a minister who is a dad, pastor for a small church, cook, photographer and just a neat guy.  His blog, while I'm talking him up, is an interesting combination of things in his life.

So, here are things I've been enjoying lately....

• Hanging out with people who bring out the person I am.  Sounds odd, but not everyone gets to see the true, unfiltered Emmy.  Most see the dialed back version.  (Not everyone, surprisingly enough, has my sense of humor - so I have to ease into it so that I don't offend.)  You tap into the unfiltered me and watch out.  Two people have been doing it late - one happens to be Derek.  (I should mention you get a pretty good taste of it on here.)
  
• Using exercise as escape.  I have found that going on a bike ride or for a run gives me 30-60 minutes of time just to think.  No kids wanting attention.  No one to distract me from anything.  Just me.  
• My Kindle....and Amazon will likely be sending me a thank you letter after their quarterly revenue increases from all of the books I've been buying.  
• Veggies - going out to the farm on Sauvie Island with the girls and getting veggies each Sunday has been a lot of fun.  And, have I mentioned how cheap it is compared to some of the stores? That was a pleasant surprise.  After finding the veggies, we all go get some freshly roasted corn on the cob.  Yum.
• Watching DJ around the chickens.  They have decided she is one of them, I think, with the way they mingle with her.  I also love how interested she is in the whole egg thing.  She wants so badly to see the chicken actually lay an egg.  I love how into science, nature, and animals she is.
• Cuddling with Indigo while watching cartoons.  She has been wanting some of that kind of attention again. It is nice to see she hasn't totally grown out of it yet.
• Enjoying the 1x1 time Garbanzo and I have been getting.  We have really been bad about this in the past.  I'm happy we have turned that corner and are making that time for each other now. Plus, it has been fun going out and doing new things with him - planning dates, etc.
• Listening to the chickens outside our bedroom and living room windows.  There is something soothing about listening to them.  At 6am when they want out of the coop and are making tons of noise - not so much - but all other times are great.
  
• Supporting small, family owned businesses by giving them my business.  While I don't like seeing my own company fail, I would rather not see a family who has invested everything they own fail during this economic downturn.  I like chatting with the owners, I like learning how they got started & how they are doing, and I know giving them my money keeps their dream alive.  
• Watching QI (Quite Interesting) - a British television show where Stephen Fry asks a panel of well known Brits and occasional American questions about science, history, art, music, etc.  Points are given to those who get the questions right, but points are also awarded to anyone giving an incorrect, but quite interesting answer.  It is fucking hilarious!  I have not laughed so hard in my life.  Why won't we be seeing it in the US even on BBC America?  Because they don't believe American's are smart enough to appreciate it.  I suspect all of my readers would totally appreciate it and find it just as interesting and funny as we do. 
 

What are some things you've been enjoying lately?

Day 231 - Hard Labor

I hate wild geraniums - a very invasive weed around these parts.  The leaves look just like regular geranium plants, but they are a lot more annoying.  I went outside today and discovered that overnight, or so it seemed, they took over the backyard.  When you see the wild geranium but not he grass, you know what chore you will have.

I spent 4-5 hours weeding them out of the backyard.  And, I am happy to say I'm about 80% done.  I finally decided I was tired, my hands were sore, and it was time to lay in the hammock and have a well deserved beer. 

And while I was weeding, the contractor Garbanzo had found for installing the attic stairs was installing two of the four windows on the south side of the second floor of our house.  We all held our breath a bit as he fit in the first window.  Built in 1917, our house has true measurements for things - not the modern day versions of it.  For example, all 2x4s in our house are truly 2x4...not just short as is common today.

The windows fit perfectly!  PERFECTLY!  In fact, he commented that we will not have the weathering issues we had with the other windows because these are the exact right size.  As he got the other windows out, you can see how they were installed, while technically correctly, in not the ideal way for the house to ensure proper weather proofing. 

This contractor is so freaking conscientious about his work too.  The only other person we saw work like this was Sharky - Garbanzo's rugby coach.  She was very anal retentive when it came to her work.  And, so is this guy.  And, he is a cheap date. I know I will be making a list of other things we need to have done by a professional to see if he's interested.  Good contractors are hard to find.

Oh, and a funny story.  Garbanzo is talking to the contractor's assistant about the chickens.  The guy was interested in how they were with bug control in the garden, etc.  Garbanzo was proudly showing off his knowledge of chickens before he goes off to get molding for the inside framing.

They get back, and I hear Garbanzo exclaim - "YOU HAVE KANGAROOS!!"  I guess the assistant has kangaroos.  Garbanzo felt a bit stupid acting all big about keeping urban chickens to a guy who has kangaroos - an animal a bit more impressive than the chicken.  The guy laughs a bit and shrugs it off.  I guess when you have had kangaroos like he has, chickens do seem exciting in comparison.

Statistics Be Damned!

I have decided that anyone married the last few days including today was destined to have a long marriage thereby showing people that not every marriage results in divorce no matter how it may feel sometimes.  I know at least three couples who have been together 15+ years who were married during this time.

My parents were married Aug 20th, 1971 - married 38 years Thursday.  I think they demonstrated to everyone especially their children what "for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health" really translates to in real life.

I've seen my parents struggle to have enough money to put food on the table.  They may have fought, but in the end, they made it all happen.  They knew what sacrifice meant for the sake of the family - and they demonstrated it.  They may have fought, but you saw them kissing passionately more often.  The love my parents continue to share is fierce.  Regardless of their health, they walk hand-in-hand through it.  Through a major heart attack and a bout with prostate cancer - through my mom almost dying in childbirth - they stood strong next to each other.  A marriage that is an amazing example of what the vows truly mean.  I know all of their kids appreciate the role models.  And, Garbanzo has commented how different his perception of marriage after seeing my parents together.

And today is another anniversary of two people most of us know - Veronica and Hubman.  Married a couple years longer than Garbanzo and I, if I'm not mistaken.  Both have shared with the blogger world parts of their lives....even when it wasn't so great.  Spend a few hours with them in person, and you don't wonder long how they made it through everything.  Yes, their sex life and passion is definitely there.  We read the stories and see the pictures.  But, there is an affection that shows anyone the depth of their love for each other.  The way they look at each other, interact with each other, and just are together removes any mystery as to how they do it.  Yes, they respect their vows, but most importantly, they respect each other.  That combined with their love for each other is what makes this marriage work.

And with that, I wish a Happy Anniversary to you both! 
I know you will have a wonderful celebration!

"What greater thing is there for two human souls than to feel that they are joined together to strengthen each other in all labour, to minister to each other in all sorrow, to share with each other in all gladness, to be one with each other in the silent unspoken memories?" 

- George Eliot 

Day 230 - Going to the Zoo

The day started off colder than it has been thanks to the cold front that went through last night.  In addition bringing a nice cool breeze, it bought the "marine layer" otherwise known by normal people as clouds.  I had thought about taking the girls to the coast today (read beach if you not from the Pacific NW), but the weather man said it was foggy, rainy, and cool.  Not a bad report if it were October or November, and Garbanzo and I were getting away for a weekend at the coast where the kind of hotel room we got would matter more than the weather.  But, with the kids, that might make for a long day.

In hindsight, maybe I should have taken them there instead of the zoo.

I should preface everything by saying that neither kid slept well last night.  DJ was convinced there was some animal in her closet.  We likely do have a mouse upstairs thanks to the recently discovered window issue on the second floor and the unfortunate location of their room in relation to the mouse haven.  But, she was up about 4 time between 1-2am.  Of course, she wanted to discuss with us at length her issues, concerns, our plan of attack for combating this issue, etc.  We actually think who she was hearing was Derek who was still up and about.  No matter, we finally threw her on the couch and told her to sleep.  Indigo got up around 4am, so we had a long night as well.

Going into this outing to the zoo, I had the card stacked against me.  Kids were tired and goofy.  I was properly caffeinated, but not in the mood for any bullshit today.  So going to the zoo was probably going to result in a long day.  But, I went ahead and did it.  We are zoo members, so if we had to leave early, it's not like we were out $40 or something.

Indigo lost three pennies just waiting for the train.  They had begged to take the zoo train into the zoo, and I didn't think that would be a problem.  MISTAKE.  A 20 minute wait with my kids acting like monkeys and other kids acting like brats gave me a good indication of how the day would go. 

We get into the zoo, and the kids start literally climbing over everything.  They also were not even watching where they were going.  I don't know how many times we would be walking down a path, and I would have to grab them to prevent them from walking into someone.  At one point, I grabbed both of them, sat them down, and asked if they had any idea why I was mad.  Then, they continued to do it.  I started heading us back to the train so we could go home.  I was done.

Before we got there, I did take them thru the lorikeet exhibit which is a bit like Hitchcock's The Birds brought to life.  You walk thru the exhibit as they fly around you landing on you.  Last time I was in there, I ended up with four birds on me.  It was a bit freaky really.  We went into the exhibit.  The birds were rather calm today. 

We also walked through a pretty neat exhibit about chimpanzees.  Very educational.  Well put together - and a lot of fun.  The girls learned a lot about chimps.

We came home soon after that.  Thankfully!  I did refrain from having my first beer then....but the temptation was definitely there.






This is Sam, the 1-year-old baby elephant born at the zoo.  His birthday is actually Sunday.  He was playing with a bamboo stick when we saw him. 

This is the elephant on loan from the Seattle Zoo.  Oregon Zoo has a greatly successful breeding program, but their male elephant isn't as virile as he used to be.  Thus the need for a loaner stud.



The lorikeet drama - the loving pair:

The interloper. Look at the center one glaring at the one on the left.  Yeah, he's not going to let him cut in on his chick.

This is the cute little boy walking around with his squirrel tail.