No pets...

I have been looking for places to rent and of course everything I see says No pets.  Not even outdoor pets.  Now it looks like I am going to have to try and find a good home for my 3 year old Sheprador (part Australian Shepard/ part Labrador).  I love my dog and really don't want to give him up.  It makes me sad.

I know a lady with a farm and I may resort to asking her to take him on.  But I feel bad asking her a favor when I haven't made much of an effort to stay in touch with her.  But even if she can't take him she may know someone who can. 

It just makes me so sad.  I know I am not a great pet owner.  We don't play as much as we should. But it breaks my heart to think how he would feel if I just leave him somewhere and never come back to get him.  He loves us so much and I feel like I am failing him in someway if I give him away. 

Not sure what to do....

It's back....

The Cruiser is back and looking good as new. At the grocery store Austin discovered that he couldn't open the passenger side door from the inside. So, I will have to call the shop tomorrow on that but otherwise it feels wonderful to have my car back. It made me smile...

Other things that are making me smile today:


Mike and Molly Season Premiere

And a gift from my son just because, "You do everything for everyone and I thought you would like something."   

"The pink matches your gun.  I thought that was pretty cool." ~Austin

Wednesday Wrap-up

The appropriate title should probably be Random Wednesday but Wrap-up looks better.

I haven't had much time this summer to work on projects. Although, to be honest I am usually far more interested in being outside during the summer so few inside projects get done anyway. BUT I did manage to crochet this Centennial Loop Rug. It is made with a brown and a blue, brown strip yarn. I originally thought I would make it for my bedroom. The one I will have when I move into my own place again. Instead, I gave it to my Mom for her bedroom.

Last week, I did this to my car by over-correcting and hitting a guard rail. No injuries. No other cars. No police repors. Just a little bad luck.

The damage is much worse than it looks. I called the collision repair shop today and the repair costs are just over $3,100 which is just a few hundred dollars less than what I paid for the car. Luckily, I opted for full coverage on the insurance. Unfortunately, I have a $500 deductible but it is better than paying the full cost of the repairs.

After picking my son up from school today we drove around looking for houses/duplexes for rent. We saw a couple but I only called on one. I left the man a message, and told him I didn't have the exact address because it was covered up. He called back and left me a curt message telling me to have the address when I call back. I didn't like his tone so I won't be calling him back. He can keep his stinking duplex.

Fall is here. I love the crispness in the air, the warm days, and cool nights...BUT I am restless. I am not sure why. Just antsy and feeling like I need to get out. Perhaps a drive in the canyon when the leaves really start changing color will help. For now, I have been taking Grandma for walks in her wheelchair. Anyone know how many calories are burned when pushing a wheelchair?

Bumps...

What do you do when you hit a bump in the road?  Do you change course? Stand still? Or plow over it?  

As many of you know, for the last few years my soon-to-be seventeen year old son has been writing a book - rather a series of books.  He is determined to become a published author and I am 100% behind him on this.   When he hits a bump in the road to this dream, he just plows right over it.  When the dog ate the memory stick he saved his book to, Austin just re-wrote all 150 pages.  No problem. 

A couple of months ago he sent his book to his step-mother's friend who is an editor for a publishing company.  They publish LDS books, so they definitely won't be publishing his, but she was kind enough to offer her editing services and comments.   Today he received an e-mail from her.  Overall she likes the story and has given him a lot of constructive criticism.  Where I would probably curl up in a ball and take it as "I suck!" Austin says this, "I'm going to take her suggestions, make  some changes and send it back to her."  Then he eagerly reads through her notes and starts coming up with ideas to put her suggestions into action. 

Homecoming is this coming weekend - on his birthday.  He has had a crush on a girl in his class since the beginning of last school year.  This year he asked her to the dance.  He and his step-mom made an invitation.  The wheres and whens included all of the info for the dance with a note that said, "You would make my birthday wish come true if you would go to homecoming with me." Or something like that.  He had  told her in a previous conversation that the dance was on his birthday.  She already had a date for the dance and had to say no.  He was a little down about it but instead of letting it get to him, he asked another friend.

I know he was disappointed but instead of letting it ruin Homecoming and his birthday he chose to move forward and adjust the plan.  I could learn from this kid. 

When I run into a bump, my first instinct is to curl up and say "I can't do this."  Then I usually go down a completely different path leading me further and further away from my dreams.  I did this with school.  When I decided to go back to school, I wanted to be a teacher. I looked at the schedule I would have and how that would work with being a single mom, working full-time, and decided I couldn't do it.  Instead I went to the University of Phoenix and pursued a business degree.  I then compounded that mistake by getting an MBA also through the University of Phoenix.   That's just one example of moving further away from what I really want in my life.

I let the bumps hinder and scare me instead of plowing forward. 

From this point forward, I am going to plow through.  I am not going to let myself curl up and say "I can't".  I am going to learn from my son's example.  I am going to attack the weight loss bump.  The big one. 

Wish me luck!

  

Resilience

I wanted to write something about 9/11.  Where I was, what I felt, that sort of thing.  But as I was driving to the blessing of my cousin's twin girls.  The word that came to mind was resilience.  September 11, 2001 is a date that we will always remember.  We will tell our grandchildren where we were when we heard about the attacks.  We will take our moments of silence and we will grieve for those lost and the lives that were forever changed.  We will continue to live with the loss of our sense of security and will always worry about when something like that will happen again. 

We will also remember that life moves forward.  As a country we move forward.  As people we move forward.  Time does not stop and we have the ability to recover.  To move on and to live through tragedy.  We are RESILIENT.  Babies will be born.  Children will grow. Love ones will be lost.  Life moves on. 

As I remember the tragic events of ten years ago, I am sad and grieve;  but tomorrow I will move forward. I will carry in my heart the thousands of innocent people who were killed.  And the thousands more who lost their loved ones.  I will remember the blessings in my life, and try to be a better person than I was yesterday. 

I am resilient.  WE are resilient.

It's Shocking....

After my last post,  Holly and Jo both said, "You must explain."  I imagined the ladies quizzically looking at the post thinking, "What the hell is she talking about?" 

First, I'll show you the new hair color. 





I know you really wanted to see a close up of my hair.  Made your day, didn't it.

 Every time I make a trip to the salon, I have my stylist, Nikki, give me high frequency scalp treatment.  I am not sure exactly how it works but it basically gives my scalp a little shock.  It isn't uncomfortable and she can adjust how strong it it.  She combs a wand through my hair, across my scalp, and I try not to fall asleep.   It is supposed to stimulate hair growth.  So far my hair hasn't gotten a lot longer although it probably would if I went in more than every 6 weeks or so, but it has gotten a little bit thicker.  I have a lot of little baby hairs all over.  Whether or not I am seeing great results, it is the best 5-minute scalp massage ever. 

Nikki has a couple of clients who have lost their hair or have thinning hair due to cancer treatments or other heath problems.  Regular high-frequency treatments have helped them with their hair regrowth.  Of course, unlike me, these ladies come in at least once a week. 

Apparently, this is something that you can do to improve your skin also.

Since I am not doing a very good job of explaining, here is a LINK that might give you more insight - or just confuse you further.  

Feeling a little....

1 - Tired.  Last week and the weekend seemed really really long.  There was a lot to do to get ready for a family cookout.  I was filling in for a co-worker.  Had a couple of nights with little to no sleep. And well it was just busy.  So far this week, I have no energy.

2 - Healthy.  I took the dog for a walk this evening. 

3 - Ready.  For whatever is coming next.  I hope it is good.

4 - Itchy.  I had a high frequency treatment for my hair this week.  It makes my head itch.

5 - Colorful.  Before my high-frequency treatment, I has my hair colored.  If I actually style my hair tomorrow, I will take a picture.  It is blond, brown, and brown red which kind of looks purple. I like it.

Content didn't make the list. It is that elusive something that I really would like to find.  Maybe someday.  Maybe soon.  Maybe five years from now.  But I will get there. 

Finally Friday

I had a whole rambling thing about why work sucked this week but decided no one wants to hear about that.  My brain is too mushed up to come up with anything more than little snippets of thoughts.  Please enjoy the randomness for which this blog was named:

1 - One of my favorite bloggesr is Jo . She makes me laugh and no matter how long I am away from blogger, I will always read everyone of her past posts.  If it weren't for Jo, I never would have met M-Cat at Culver's.  M-Cat being another of my favorite bloggers.

2 - I've discovered that under stressful situations I become more assertive. I am better at articulating what I expect and defining what I will and will not do.  Now if I can work that into the everyday, it would be a great thing. 

3 - The new has been talking about an attack on a gay man outside of a gay club in Salt Lake.  It ticks me off that he was attacked  for minding his own business.  No one should get beaten for any reason.  The news keeps talking about it possibly being a "hate crime".  I HATE the term hate crime.  It implies that an attack on a minority is worse than an attack on a member of the majority.   In my opinion anytime a person is a victim of a violent crime there is hate involved.  Hate towards the person being attacked or hate  at persons or circumstances that have no relation to the victim.  Vicious beatings all come down to hate.  Let's not say it is worse for one person that it would be for another.

4 - Conspiracy theorist drive me nuts.  I am watching a show about Conspiracy theorist or "Truthers" theories about the attacks on 9/11. 

5 - I think roses are like vampires in that they need blood to survive.  I am scratched an poked from trying to tame Grandma's rose garden last night.

6 - I finally have my new laptop for work. I am even using it now.  It is so  nice to have working equipment. 

7 - Speaking of laptops, my son needs his own.  Our laptop is geriatric in technological terms.  The battery heats up to within 10 degrees of the temperature of the sun.  For his birthday he wants money to go to a laptop or iTunes gift cards.

8 - This month my son turns 17 on the 17th.

9 - I want to make the good fudge they sell at Cabela's. 

10 - I am going to try and find some nummy fudge recipes.

Have a good weekend, friends!