November 15, 2015

Up at 6-something... This is kinda rad. Days are filled with productivity when I'm up earlier. The soft beating of the rain on my window was also a plus...I love rain. I SAW IT WILL SNOW WHILE WE'RE IN ZÜRICH!!! ☺️. . I then watched the UFC fight from a Tijuana station en Español. I need to start push-ups and such (not that I want to fight, but I loved Holly's arms).



It was raining nicely as I headed to Antelope to visit my BFF-in-the-ghetto (though it isn't ghetto) and borrow his carpet shampooer. I think was there almost 2 hours as "quick visits" don't work for us. Chris is a cool man (he gave me purple Vans today!!) and I'm thrilled for him and his not-so-new-anymore married life as they've already worked through blended family issues. And I haven't gone on a date yet. Wtf.




Stopped by ex-husband's place to grab his dually and I'm heading home. The rain from earlier had subsided temporarily, still, despite hunger I immediately began loading. The double pallet was HEAVY and I'm not quite sure how I got it into the back (tailgate wouldn't open). The cursed holly tree redeemed herself when she stopped the pallet from tipping over on me. I loaded just about every piece of junk there was and headed down. Despite all the men there, no one offered to help until...a woman with a lovely sweater, manicured nails etc insisted on helping me with the pallet, though it was 2/3s done.  Still - so nice.  Women helping women.




As I headed back, the hail was pouring (pouring? Can hail "pour"?) down and I LOVED it. This is lovely. I returned the dually, grabbed bordetella medicine for the dogs and their impending kennel stay and then..made the mistake of doing Mabi first. That dog doesn't care for things to be placed up her nose(she'd be a lousy cokehead) and tore me up with her nails. So now, on top of my broken body and burnt fingers, I have gashes on the BACK of my thighs (don't ask-I was there and still couldn't tell you) and on my arms. Annie was much easier. Next time I'll get a needle and inject Mabi.



Eventually... And trust me, I mean eventually because I had to go buy a brush which took 3 store visits, I vacuumed, then shampooed. Vacuuming proved interesting as I found...let's say SO MANY TREASURES left by rat(s), including about 6 uneaten Ukrainian chocolates, a chewed, empty tube of my PawPaw lotion from Australia, and lots of...post-digested food (you know what I mean). I took pics of that, too, for the landlord. So, the time is drawing near. Switzerland then moving. Lots going on right now. I like it.


Pictures: Ok, so despite never having been a huge fan of California, I must admit, the fall colors are beautiful here.  4 shots from today and these pictures don't do them any kind of justice; Big guns, on top of real Epsom salt and Apple cider vinegar. 

October 18, 2015

Terrifically, I slept until 8:30ish.  No fan, because the air was chilly, and then birds or something chirpy work me up. I sat in bed and perfected my Power Point – I’m excited – I learned how to go in alter the computer so that the video begins right away.  It involved inserting developer, removing things like “=” and adding other fancy things I have since forgotten.  I felt very Bill Gatesy.  Time to get moving – lots of packing.  I think that, if I didn’t have books, it would cut ½- 1/3 of time.  I easily have 2,000 books and that’s after clearing about 100 out a few months ago. The yard sale stack is growing and a couple more people came by to day to pick up the Disney movies.  I have three more people left.

I went strong today and moved my former CD player in from Ethan’s room so that I could listen to CDs as I packed.  Curiosity Killed the Cat, Allison, Moyet, Cock Robin…all bands I used to listen to in CH.  It brings back a feeling of Youth, which isn’t necessarily such a good thing – because that isn’t me anymore.  There comes a point when you need to throw away the high school journals (really… I found it today).  What good does it do to go back and revisit the past?  No, we never got back together again…and that’s good, because my life has unfolded in such a beautiful way.  Had all those dreams I once had come true I wouldn’t have the glorious life I have now, packing Chaos and all….

 

My BFF down the hill called me – Chris da G-man.  This man is such a joy to be friends with, we kid, we joke, we tease (we even had our one and only ever disagreement today).  I think having a friend like him is important – close enough and yet no hanging out every day and calling every night (his new bride might find that irritating).  Plus, we got to talk recovery (because I have tons of recovery books, shockingly), which is always helpful at times like now, when I have created more chaos than there actually is.  Chris was right – I put things into the Universe time and time again and now Universe is taking me up on it.  A little nudge, a push here and there, and it is to get me off my ass and go.

My Joette called me…Sweet Lady.  I have become friends with so many incredible people through this music group….  I haven’t been going to many music shows lately – too much going on, and honestly, it I something I would like to share with someone.  So no time for that stuff right now, unless it’s the Hips (I’m kinda committed to them).  New music can wait.

I know it’s supposed to be room by room, but there is so much in here that needs to be sold that it’s taken up a great deal of space.  Also – the rest is mostly…books.  So I figure I’ll hit my beer glasses yet – 20+ beer stange, großes, etc. that I snagged in Europe when I lived there and will hopefully be moving them back to their natural habitat.  My client’s grandmother emailed me and let me know my appointment tomorrow doesn’t need to take place because my client thinks things are okay for now – so I have another Sunday to pack more stuff. 

Pictures: My mom's English books from when she was in elementary school - I hope the kids can use it to learn German.  ; My classic books - nothing fancy like my antiquarian books, but I love 'em; Lord Byron.."She walks in beauty, like the night, Of cloudless climes and starry skies;And all that’s best of dark and bright..."

September 26, 2015

I slept with dreams that made me nervous, and just as I was reaching a point of solutions, I woke up. WHY  does that happen every time?  It was a warm night, even with the window open and the fan blowing luke-warm air on me.  It sure is a hot fall.  

Hot coffee doesn’t make the situation better.  Yet Saturday mornings inspire me and I am usually filled with such motivation.  Today was no different.  I was intent on finishing up my Capstone revision, Attempt the Second, and sending it in.  I am hoping there is no Attempt the Third.  Unfortunately, my attention was taking a break today and was nowhere to be found.  I opened my mail and found Marco’s acceptance.  Until he cancels our reservation, we have an AirBnB spot in Zurich for the first 5 days of our trip.  Ethan and I had a talk this morning about Switzerland.  He is still thinking we are going, and my god, I hope that to be true.  But I won’t lie, I am seeing my dreams crumbling, or at least being put on hold, because I have to make sure he finds success.

Around 3 ish, I I got word that Chris was coming over to deliver stuff. In order to get said stuff, however, I needed to have money, so I headed to the ATM and also picked up a poster board to make him a wizard’s hat (I promised him one a couple of months ago).  Chris is a little bit of a magic man when it comes to computers  It would almost seem like any talent I could have with computers was sucked away, doubled, then doubled again and given to Chris, so a few weeks ago when my computer started to act up, I told it if it didn’t shape up I would text Chris and did.  It started acting right moments after, so I told him I would make him a wizard’s hat.  The kids and I made him a fabulous wizard’s hat with rainbows, unicorns and hearts.  Maggie did most of it as Ethan and I worked on stuff.  It was so fabulous!  Wish we had taken a picture.

Chris hung out for a while as he finished getting the refurbished laptops I had purchased for the kids ready.  The old laptops they have been using are lagging so slowly it is horrific, so for a very low price I was able to get these.  We had a blast while he installed and cleaned, so many jokes and fun comments.  That guy is like a brother I never had. Seriously, he is my BFF who lives far away (the nethervalley).  Ethan made Salisbury steaks and rösti and then we all ate dinner.  Maggie played The Office clips and on the parkour clip I just about lost it I was laughing so hard – tears where running down my face and I couldn’t breathe.  Good times (last night while getting Ethan’s shoes at Big 5,  I yelled “Karpour!  Close, but not close enough).  

After Chris left, I cut out clips from magazines for collages until my back hurt (don’t ask).  I was saddened by all the white people!  I swear, the only people of color I saw where so close to white that it might have just been some people who got a little extra sun before the photo shoot.  WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH COLOR (asks one of the whitest people there is)?  If I had any ideas how to do this, I would create an EVERYBODY magazine that mentioned all sorts of different issues faced by different ethnic groups as well as celebratory things about that ethnic group.  I think America has been too damn “white” for too damn long.  Later, I heard from my friend Nora who is a former teacher.  She not only has worked with kids who have learning issues but math is her specialty.  She has offered to work with Ethan and so the two of them are going to hang out with each other tomorrow.  This couldn’t come at a better time.  Cross fingers that Ethan sees the light soon!!

Pictures: Capstone revision sent in!; Marco accepted;  All my festival bands: Hipnic, High Siera, DustUp, Hangtown Halloween, others I can't recall -time to throw away; Pseudo-white Ethnic kids.