More training

It is still beautiful here in California but we desperately need rain. If you know any rain dancers - please send them!

Walked 5.92 miles today. Took some photos that I will load later.

Went to see a movie I heartedly recommend - Defiance. Wow - heavy stuff - historical stuff that should never ever be forgotten. And Daniel Craig does have the most amazing eyes - I think he has replaced Paul Newman in that category.

Last week saw a movie I most heartedly do NOT recommend unless you need a nap. The Curious Case of Benjamin Buttons - AKA The Never Ending Movie! Don't get me wrong - there were short parts that were brilliant - and the makeup artist and whomever are geniuses. But the movie went on....and on....and on.....We were in an upstairs theater. You had to go downstairs to the bathroom - I was seriously looking for any other movie to sit in on. Wondered around the theater as long as I could when I took a bathroom break and when I went back, the movie was still going on and on and on.....cannot believe how many nominations it recieved. I think people really did take naps during it and nominated it becuase of the nap time they had! Amazing how long a movie you can make from a short story....

California's woes

Well, went out and stimulated the economy today.

Yep, after a year of telling hubby that our dishwasher was doing its own death march, it finally gave up and died on Sunday on hubby's watch. So that means we had to get a new one NOW!

I think this is about the 3d one I have bought in 35 years of marriage. And so it was interesting to see the new stuff available - and the newer prices.

When it was time to pay, I told the salesman that I would jsut write out an IOU for the sales tax....luckily he was quick and didnt think I was absolutely nuts when I said this.

I have an idea for you Arnold - you want the state legislators to stop di**ing around with the budget? FREEZE THEIR PAYCHECKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That will get their attention darn quick!

Too many people are hurting already and next week they might start playing around with all the state subsidized programs? Which means the trickle down affect????????

I dont think so - make those people in Sacramento sit and up and pay attention by hitting them where it hurts - right in their own pockets by FREEZING THEIR PAYCHECKS!!!!!!!

By the way - did you see where one of the companies who recieved the federal bail out - is spending the money on a NEW CORPORATE JET!!!!!! Yup, not only do the rich guys still get their bonuses and pay checks and buy outs - but they can now travel in style while doing it.
Way to go Citigroup - that is exactly what I wanted you to do with my hard earned tax money...

Hey you knitters!

I jsut recieved something I ordered Friday from knitbliss on etsy.com. It is this very adorable book....I am not sure they have any more listed for sale - but you really need to go over there and bug them about selling more! It is even better than I expected!




"Knitbliss from A to Z
Description
Knitbliss from A to Z is a knitter’s alphabet book introducing Irene, a Romney sheep, whose idea of “knitbliss” is a day of knitting, from “bobbles” to “vest.” As Irene recites her day in rhyming verse, pen and ink illustrations show her knitting away on hats, a vest, i-cord and more, spending time with her knitting group, doing a little spinning and dyeing and finally sitting down for a cup of tea and a bit of frogging. The book includes a glossary of terms and a pattern for Irene's Rippling River Afghan.First came Knitbliss, my knitting group (and more), then came this little book which I created to illustrate our knitting world (by way of a sheep) and to give my friends a few laughs. They love it. A limited number of books are available for purchase.Book dimensions: 5 1/2" x 5 1/2" Number of pages: 48"

My 'training' diary!

Had lots of errands today......the truck got an oil change, and a bath - getting ready to pile the miles on it for the next 5 months. And we picked up another pallet of pellets (say that really fast!! LOL). And then we had to see a movie - poor hubby has had movie withdrawals over the past few months.
So just did a walk around the neighborhood - but clocked in 1.6 miles!
And for the second day in a row, decided I really really need new walking shoes....

Committment + some photos

Is this the sweetest? Miss Kaia - 15 months old - December - food always make her happy!

I wouldnt mind being one of these....I can spend forever watching them soar in the skies....so graceful...

Sycamore Grove....where I am doing some of my walking training. I will update this photo as the seasons change. This was taken today - in the midst of winter when we had a 69 degree day...when we should be having rain!!! In May I will be doing a 10K walk for breast cancer - the Bras For The Cause Walk (www.trivalleysocks.org) and decided I better get up off my keester and start training. Walked the dog once this week. And then today hubby and I went for a walk which we had to cut short to go to a movie (Valkyrie - not a Tom Cruise fan at all, but a very good movie). Did a little over 4 miles in 1 hour so think I will be able to finish the 6.2 miles in 2 hours! Hopefully we will go and do this again tomorrow.....if I can move!!!

Isnt that the sweetest face? This is one of my grand-dogs.

Here is Kaia's big brother Owen....at dinner....

This was MeMaw getting sprayed with silly string at the silly string fight on Christmas Day! No, Connor was not doing the spraying - his Uncle John was the culprit!

Our youngest - imitating an elf - Luke and his mom stayed with me while older brothers, dad, and Papa went to see Walking With The Dinosaurs again.

No one knows - or remembers - who set these guys up to defend our home. But I, for one, appreciate the thought! And so they have stayed there!

Dentists - I hate dentists

But actually my dentist is pretty good. But I still hate them. Wonder if people who have grown up since the better dental tools and all hate them as much as older people do? The sound of the drills still are horrible.....why cant they make the drills silent?

So after almost 4 weeks of listening to hubby calling me "tweaker" I go in for my appt, expecting to get a temporary bridge and being fitted for a permanent one.

Instead, the dentist wasnt happy about the healing of my gums. Probably because of the two almost back-to-back nasty colds I had. So he did all the prelim work - fitted me with a temp - but because of his schedule and mine, I cant get back in for the fitting of the permanent one for 6 more weeks!!!!!! And then it takes 2 more weeks to get it!!!! It is jsut dragging on and on.

But they said they think the worst of it was done yesterday - 2.5 hours worth! And yesterday I was all whiny and sore.....today I am just depressed about the soft diet until the permanent bridge and watching my husband eating the See's nuts that we got at Christmas and telling me how they are so very good! That would be considered justifiable homicide right!!!!

Students start next week. Busy times ahead. Am already trying to juggle all of them - 10 of them this time! - as I make up their schedules!

Dag Nab It!

I cant find where I moved my camera while taking down the decorations! And so that means no photos....just words!

Lots of words cause it has been awhile since I posted.

Christmas was lovely - busy and hectic and noisy. But lovely because the whole family was together. The weather even took a break so that my daughter and her family could get here safely from Nevada - on Tuesday. Owen had a sleep over at his aunties that night so he could play with his cousins. Sounds like he had a good time! And little Miss Kaia looks so cute with her hair trimmed and with bangs (sure wish you could see to agree!!).

Christmas Eve was busy. Last minute errands and all. But John came by and opened gifts with us - along with Katie and her family. It is so much fun watching little ones open gifts! You could literally give them empty boxes and they wouldn't care as long as they could rip the wrapping off!

They went off to bed and we hung up their stockings....which they did not expect as we told them that Santa would probably only fill the stockings they left up at their house.

I worked Christmas Day but was lucky enough - thanks to the cooperation of our patients as well as my fellow co-workers - thanks Jen!!! - to get off early and head over to my other daughter's house. And the nurse I worked with is only an 8 hour worker so she got to leave, which was a blessing since she was sick. And missing all the cooking and prep work! I got there in time to play - and play we did with my son's usual contribution of silly string! The kids loved it! It was a blast!!

And then dinner - and opening presents (or should I say ripping thru presents?).

Friday my daughter and family left to go home. Took them forever - yup, the ski resorts were open and it was a nice long holiday weekend so everyone in the state was going there. But at least the weather cooperated and all they had to worry about was the traffic...

That Sunday I took off to go to a 50th wedding anniversary party. 50 years. You don't see that too often any more! Or at least - 50 years with the same person instead of 2- 25 years! LOL
After that we went to see a movie I did not want to go to - refused to read the book - didn't want to see the movie.....yup, we saw Marley & Me. Identified almost every dog we have every owned, all wrapped up in Marley. And of course I sobbed my way thru the end of that movie...

And then, lucky me, come Tuesday and work....and we are crazy busy and short with one person out on maternity leave...here I am sick again. A repeat of the dastardly cold I got after Thanksgiving. Cant blame it on my grandson this time - so will blame it on my coworker from Christmas Day! Thanks Demi! And I am sure there are lots of people out there right now thanking me! But at work - you are damned if you do and damned if you don't. Shouldn't work when you are sick - but boy, if you call in sick too much you get in trouble - and especially on a holiday!!

New Years Eve had slowed down quite a bit - thank goodness! Got off work - went home - had fondue with hubby - and struggled to stay awake until midnight. Poor Dick Clark - the Ageless Boy - the Peter Pan - he has so aged since his stroke but he is still out there trying. Makes me so sad. Mad it till midnight and then off to bed.

The next day one daughter and her family, and son had dinner with us. Prior to that we went to see Bolt at the theater - it was cute!

This past Sat we went to Monterey to exchange gifts and go out to dinner with friends. One of the friends had to cancel because he was sick! And then Sunday we spent the day taking down decorations (and misplacing cameras!). And then spending 3 hours in Urgent Care....

Yeah, hubby was taking down his Christmas village and hit his hand on an angle bracket. Sliced open between his pinkie and the next finger and it looked pretty deep. Plus the bracket was metal and had been stored outside all year round. So I knew he needed a tetanus shot. After three hours, he got his shot, and some steri strips on it. Very frustrating because even tho we knew he was low priority - it wasn't busy so the wait was frustrating.

Today is raining - hurrah! We need it so badly! And I only have one or two errands to run (thank goodness). Need to work on getting ready for school to start on the 20th....

Happy New Year!
According to a financial wizard I heard on the radio last week - SOMETIME this year, things SHOULD get better......