The beach trip was a success... although, next time, we'll take our espresso machine & stuff to make our own mochas (instead of having to get dressed to drive to a coffee shop) and we'll sleep on the Queen bed upstairs (instead of the Double downstairs); Princess will just have to get up when we do. We hadn't explored the north side of Lincoln City much (my mother's beach house was south of town), so this was a good chance to do so. The beach house is between Surftides hotel and Chinook Winds Casino. We had one lunch at The Mist At Surftides (pretty good; Ace's first time having fish tacos), one brunch at Pig 'n Pancake (because a trip to the coast isn't complete without eating there), one dinner at Blackfish Cafe, did a lot of walking on the beach and exploring the neighborhood, and of course hit up our usual stores (smoked meats, fudge, and misc chocolate). A couple of things to note: we hadn't been to LC in about four years, so there were some new things in town to explore, we discovered that Jetty Drive runs almost the full length of LC so we didn't have to make any unsafe left turns to get back to the house, and what used to be Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory (on 101 at SW 32nd) is now an independently-owned store. She makes all her own chocolates, in-store.
After multiple short drives out with Princess, we have decided she's not ready for the class that was supposed to be next month, so we canceled it. We will put her in a Fall one (and hopefully, KP will be able to join her). Because of this, she is now able to go to the coast with LeC fam before GrandCamp. I may join them, if there is room at the B&B. The trick here is figuring out transportation; T&D's Suburban has crapped out, so they have no vehicle that will fit six... If I join them, that's not a problem, but since I'm not staying for camp, too, they would need assistance getting back home. Mom has offered to Greyhound back home, so that may be a solution... Renting a bigger vehicle may be an option, as well.
My new salon studio is just about done; I have some finishing touches to do, but I am officially in that room now. Saturday, I used my new pedi chair for the first time, and figured out a couple more quirks I need to find solutions for, but that's typical. Took me a good six months in the old room to get everything the exact way I wanted. The room is functional as-is, but I will have an Open House when it's completely done, I think. One bit of good news to note - I found an app to help me keep track of my retail sales. I only have a small amount of things I'm offering to start out (starting with lotions, body butters, and cuticle oils, plus some foot care, and mini home-care stuff), but will add more as I figure out what is & isn't selling. My friend, JC, has been doing some sewing for me; she called yesterday to tell me that my closet curtain is hemmed and she made a liner for the new clean towel basket. I'll pick those up later today.
Speaking of work, I've been pretty busy! Enough so that it delayed working on my new space... It's good for my wallet because it means I'm not having any problems paying my new rent. But, I'm feeling very overwhelmed because I wanted to be in there and done with the details two weeks ago. That being said, I do have space in my books for a couple new clients (Thursdays & Fridays, every other week). If you, or someone you know, are looking for a quality nail tech in Portland, come see me!
The last few days brought the Air Show to town. I live in the path, about 3 miles from the local airport, so we got to see quite a bit of it from our yard. A few different teams rotate for the "big attraction", but when the Blue Angels are here, it's quite a big deal. I was teasing Ace yesterday (remembering that as an older child, I lived a few blocks from the same airport, and we used to climb out my bedroom window to sit on the roof to watch) that he should build me a platform with a canopy (collapsible, of course) on our roof so we can climb up there to watch. He just laughed... but he did take his nice camera out and actually got a few good pics.
Our son (I don't remember if I mentioned this previously) got accepted to both University of Oregon and Oregon State; he chose UofO, as their Master's program for his chosen field is better (in his opinion) than OSU's. A couple months ago, he did the research for financial aid and made sure his credits all transfer, and about a month ago, he went down for orientation and looked at a couple places for rent. He officially moves down there in less than two weeks, and will be starting classes in the Fall. Ace will be helping him move, as he will be on his sabbatical at that point.
Princess has started a list of school supplies (basics for now, we'll get the class-specifics lists at registration), and has started to go through her clothes & shoes. She's already pulled two bags worth out... I usually give the good stuff to friends' kids, and we donate what's left. Four small bins of clothes and misc household goods were donated yesterday. We'll be school shopping probably by the end of this month.
I think that's it for now...
Ramblings of life's goings-on as my husband and I raise our one remaining child, move ahead in our careers, deal with life's tragedies & happy times, and continue to love & grow together... No imaginary deity needed.
Monday, July 20, 2015
Wednesday, July 1, 2015
Playing Catch-Up
END-OF-SCHOOL:
* So, we heard back from the teacher in charge of LINK CREW; seems that position is only available to upperclassmen. Um, so why did you give Princess an application?!?! Argh. Oh, well; she said she'd just apply again when she can actually do it.
* Their last day was supposed to be a half day (out at 1130a, I thought), so I scheduled her summer hair appt for 1215p... Turns out, they didn't get out 'til 1230p, so I just picked her up at 1130a. I really like their system of pick-up; I never have to get out of the car.
* Her grades came back almost perfect -- 6 As and 2 Bs (and those two Bs were in pre-IB classes). I had promised her her choice of a massage, a mommy/daughter pedicure, or a facial if she got straight As, but since she didn't, but made Honor Roll again, I treated her to her choice of four candies from Moonstruck and lunch at our favorite sushi place.
PRINCESS' SUMMER SO FAR:
* She & KP had a great time in Utah with Mimi. There were two other kids around their age, plus the Youth Group instructor (Megan) and some of the other adult members from Mimi's church (Princess knew most of them). The volunteer work consisted of sewing & boxing up Birthing Kits, but they also got to play. There was a trip to the water park, a visit to the local library, they hit up a museum, and they got to watch how screen-printing is done.
* BF has enlisted Princess to babysit her youngest for a chunk of time all summer. KP sometimes accompanies her & they split the cash, but mostly it's just Princess. Minus the money she spends on coffee, Takis, and sunflower seeds (hahaha), she's going to have quite the savings by the time summer's over!
* The girls and a few other friends went to an overnighter at KP's family Fourth of July tent last weekend. They got junk food at the grocery store where the stand is, hung out in another friend's pool just before and again after the overnighter, and played a ton of games.
* She & KP are headed to KP's grandparents' house this weekend with KP's mom. They may stay just for the day, they may spend the night... Either is fine with me. All the babysitting, the trip, and the hanging with friends is keeping her just busy enough, without stressing her out.
* When she's not otherwise busy, she's been helping me put my new space together at work.
OUR SUMMER SO FAR:
* While the girls were in Utah, Ace & I hit up Home Depot, Lowe's, the beauty supply stores, and Ikea; getting everything I needed for my studio move. I couldn't actually start, though, because Princess wanted to help paint (which was the first thing I needed to do). So, everything we bought got stuck in my new room, and waited. Once she got back, though, we cranked out the painting. She also helped me put a lot of the furniture together, and Ace helped me install/anchor the bigger pieces. I've still got a little more work to do, but I can do all that myself. If you're interested, there's an album on my FaceBook page with progress pics.
* After Ace scheduled his vacation (two weeks around his birthday) and sabbatical, we started planning another (long overdue) family vacation. I had five plus days in a row this month with nothing scheduled so we thought, "ROAD TRIP!" I haven't been along the Oregon coast much further south than Newport, so that's where we started. After getting most of it planned out, though, we hit a financial snag... my car needed work.
* My car is now over 12 years old. A month or so ago, my a/c went out. By "out", I don't mean I'm not getting anything... I mean it was now blowing HOT air, even when the system was off. I was due for a service and oil change, anyway, so we scheduled it all at the same time. They had to order a part, which meant keeping it overnight, which meant I took our other rig, which meant Ace couldn't go anywhere or get any errands run until I got home.
* We went to Gustav's for lunch on my birthday (free dessert, no singing!), but didn't get a whole lot else done...
* So, southern Oregon beaches road trip is out, but I had another (not quite as good) plan. My salon's owner has a beach house that we can borrow for a few days. We can also maybe do some fun stuff around Portland (neither of us adults have been on the jet boats...). Looks like this is our new vaca plan.
* Speaking of cars, I decided to hold off buying myself a newer one. I'm not so sure Princess will be ready so soon after her birthday to take on some of the responsibility of "owning" (with limits) a car, so I took some of my money from the motorcycle accident to pay for my new salon space, and rolled the rest back into a CD. There it will sit until it matures; at that point, I will decide if she's ready (and, I suppose, if we're ready). We are still trying to figure out what to get, anyway: I love Jeep Wrangler-style rigs and have since I was a kid, I also really like the Toyota FJ Cruiser. I could go with a newer/fancier version of what I already own (so a Toyota Camry or a Honda Accord), too. Orrrrrr... we've been talking about maybe getting a truck. I love the idea of a Tacoma; the four-door version. Plenty of room for the three of us plus dogs inside, and all our camping gear in the bed. Also, no more borrowing the older children's trucks (they each drive a small pickup) to make runs to the dump or haul stuff somewhere.
* Our annual Birthday BBQ was a success. Smaller crowd this time than in past years, but mostly due to the heat. One of Princess' friends & her family were in a car wreck the morning of my party (against my protests, they still showed up to drop off food they'd made, but went home right after), another friend was sick, etc. No big deal; I just let everyone know which day it'll be next year so they can start planning now. New guests this year included Ace's cousin, LK, and her fiance. We'd been FB friends for years, and had met a couple times, but it was nice to have her here (and her fiance is nice; seems to be a great fit for her). I never expect gifts from anyone except my daughter & my husband, but my friends gave me some thoughtful ones this year, and my son gave me one of the books on my wishlist, as well. My best friend brought my dog-niece, Daisy, and she was super well-behaved.
* Speaking of gifts, my mother was on top of her game this year. Ok, let me backtrack... A couple months ago, my aunt was here visiting and the two of them went to the coast. My favorite chocolate shop has a storefront there, so I asked her to pick me up some stuff. She didn't get my message until they had already returned, so I was bummed. Two or three weeks ago, I got a message from her, telling me she was in Ashland and asked if I wanted anything from that store. I "placed my order" and told her I'd pay her back for whatever she got me. Fast forward to the Tuesday before my birthday. I come in to work and there's a cute coffee mug (says "I love my dogs") and a small bag of chocolates along with a card on my desk. My mother was downstairs getting her hair cut, so I went down to thank her. She asked if she could also take me to lunch or dinner or get coffee (whatever worked for my schedule) when she got back from Utah. The Friday after they all returned, Princess & I spent the morning working on stuff in my new room, and met up with my mother for lunch. They too gave me free dessert! It was not stressful at all.
So, only two weeks in... but WOW! More to come!
* So, we heard back from the teacher in charge of LINK CREW; seems that position is only available to upperclassmen. Um, so why did you give Princess an application?!?! Argh. Oh, well; she said she'd just apply again when she can actually do it.
* Their last day was supposed to be a half day (out at 1130a, I thought), so I scheduled her summer hair appt for 1215p... Turns out, they didn't get out 'til 1230p, so I just picked her up at 1130a. I really like their system of pick-up; I never have to get out of the car.
* Her grades came back almost perfect -- 6 As and 2 Bs (and those two Bs were in pre-IB classes). I had promised her her choice of a massage, a mommy/daughter pedicure, or a facial if she got straight As, but since she didn't, but made Honor Roll again, I treated her to her choice of four candies from Moonstruck and lunch at our favorite sushi place.
PRINCESS' SUMMER SO FAR:
* She & KP had a great time in Utah with Mimi. There were two other kids around their age, plus the Youth Group instructor (Megan) and some of the other adult members from Mimi's church (Princess knew most of them). The volunteer work consisted of sewing & boxing up Birthing Kits, but they also got to play. There was a trip to the water park, a visit to the local library, they hit up a museum, and they got to watch how screen-printing is done.
* BF has enlisted Princess to babysit her youngest for a chunk of time all summer. KP sometimes accompanies her & they split the cash, but mostly it's just Princess. Minus the money she spends on coffee, Takis, and sunflower seeds (hahaha), she's going to have quite the savings by the time summer's over!
* The girls and a few other friends went to an overnighter at KP's family Fourth of July tent last weekend. They got junk food at the grocery store where the stand is, hung out in another friend's pool just before and again after the overnighter, and played a ton of games.
* She & KP are headed to KP's grandparents' house this weekend with KP's mom. They may stay just for the day, they may spend the night... Either is fine with me. All the babysitting, the trip, and the hanging with friends is keeping her just busy enough, without stressing her out.
* When she's not otherwise busy, she's been helping me put my new space together at work.
OUR SUMMER SO FAR:
* While the girls were in Utah, Ace & I hit up Home Depot, Lowe's, the beauty supply stores, and Ikea; getting everything I needed for my studio move. I couldn't actually start, though, because Princess wanted to help paint (which was the first thing I needed to do). So, everything we bought got stuck in my new room, and waited. Once she got back, though, we cranked out the painting. She also helped me put a lot of the furniture together, and Ace helped me install/anchor the bigger pieces. I've still got a little more work to do, but I can do all that myself. If you're interested, there's an album on my FaceBook page with progress pics.
* After Ace scheduled his vacation (two weeks around his birthday) and sabbatical, we started planning another (long overdue) family vacation. I had five plus days in a row this month with nothing scheduled so we thought, "ROAD TRIP!" I haven't been along the Oregon coast much further south than Newport, so that's where we started. After getting most of it planned out, though, we hit a financial snag... my car needed work.
* My car is now over 12 years old. A month or so ago, my a/c went out. By "out", I don't mean I'm not getting anything... I mean it was now blowing HOT air, even when the system was off. I was due for a service and oil change, anyway, so we scheduled it all at the same time. They had to order a part, which meant keeping it overnight, which meant I took our other rig, which meant Ace couldn't go anywhere or get any errands run until I got home.
* We went to Gustav's for lunch on my birthday (free dessert, no singing!), but didn't get a whole lot else done...
* So, southern Oregon beaches road trip is out, but I had another (not quite as good) plan. My salon's owner has a beach house that we can borrow for a few days. We can also maybe do some fun stuff around Portland (neither of us adults have been on the jet boats...). Looks like this is our new vaca plan.
* Speaking of cars, I decided to hold off buying myself a newer one. I'm not so sure Princess will be ready so soon after her birthday to take on some of the responsibility of "owning" (with limits) a car, so I took some of my money from the motorcycle accident to pay for my new salon space, and rolled the rest back into a CD. There it will sit until it matures; at that point, I will decide if she's ready (and, I suppose, if we're ready). We are still trying to figure out what to get, anyway: I love Jeep Wrangler-style rigs and have since I was a kid, I also really like the Toyota FJ Cruiser. I could go with a newer/fancier version of what I already own (so a Toyota Camry or a Honda Accord), too. Orrrrrr... we've been talking about maybe getting a truck. I love the idea of a Tacoma; the four-door version. Plenty of room for the three of us plus dogs inside, and all our camping gear in the bed. Also, no more borrowing the older children's trucks (they each drive a small pickup) to make runs to the dump or haul stuff somewhere.
* Our annual Birthday BBQ was a success. Smaller crowd this time than in past years, but mostly due to the heat. One of Princess' friends & her family were in a car wreck the morning of my party (against my protests, they still showed up to drop off food they'd made, but went home right after), another friend was sick, etc. No big deal; I just let everyone know which day it'll be next year so they can start planning now. New guests this year included Ace's cousin, LK, and her fiance. We'd been FB friends for years, and had met a couple times, but it was nice to have her here (and her fiance is nice; seems to be a great fit for her). I never expect gifts from anyone except my daughter & my husband, but my friends gave me some thoughtful ones this year, and my son gave me one of the books on my wishlist, as well. My best friend brought my dog-niece, Daisy, and she was super well-behaved.
* Speaking of gifts, my mother was on top of her game this year. Ok, let me backtrack... A couple months ago, my aunt was here visiting and the two of them went to the coast. My favorite chocolate shop has a storefront there, so I asked her to pick me up some stuff. She didn't get my message until they had already returned, so I was bummed. Two or three weeks ago, I got a message from her, telling me she was in Ashland and asked if I wanted anything from that store. I "placed my order" and told her I'd pay her back for whatever she got me. Fast forward to the Tuesday before my birthday. I come in to work and there's a cute coffee mug (says "I love my dogs") and a small bag of chocolates along with a card on my desk. My mother was downstairs getting her hair cut, so I went down to thank her. She asked if she could also take me to lunch or dinner or get coffee (whatever worked for my schedule) when she got back from Utah. The Friday after they all returned, Princess & I spent the morning working on stuff in my new room, and met up with my mother for lunch. They too gave me free dessert! It was not stressful at all.
So, only two weeks in... but WOW! More to come!
Tuesday, May 19, 2015
Could We Be Any More Proud?
A month ago, Princess came home with an application; three pages. I asked her what that was and she replied, "I've been nominated for May Fete Court". Um, yay?, but what is that?!?! She said she wasn't sure exactly except she knew it was related to "acedemic achievement" and "community service". She also knew that each grade group had about 20 or so students that were nominated (by their teachers), it would be narrowed down to just a few winners from each group, and there would be a celebration & assembly for those who won.
So, I helped her fill out her application, which consisted of asking what groups, activities, clubs, volunteer work, etc she'd done *while at the high school* and a little essay she had to write. She actually hasn't had much (there *was* at least one thing she could list per question) this year, but I told her to go ahead & add things she'd done in previous years, too. It may or may not have helped, but it certainly couldn't have hurt her chances. She turned it in the following Wednesday, then I sent a message asking for clarification to the Activities Coordinator, and she replied, "...May Fete Court is a tradition at ***** going back 99 years. It recognizes students for their dedication to academic achievement and service to school and community. It is a great honor to be on May Fete Court..."
Last Monday, she came home wearing a crown & holding a yellow balloon. I didn't even blink at the crown (this wouldn't have been the first - or even 5th - time she'd worn a crown at school) but I asked about the balloon. She said, "I made May Fete Court; they announced this morning." She told me that her classmate (since Kindergarten), Greyson, and newest friend, Harmony, also got in. Super-happy excited, she started sharing the details of what responsibilities she had as part of the court, what specifications were for attire, and when the ceremonies were. She needed a black dress and "something yellow" as an accessory. I asked my mother and a few momfriends if they could be there; everyone said yes!
Tuesday, I redid her nails, and Wednesday, after she got home from GSA, we went shopping. She found & tried on 4 dresses at Ross; the last one was perfect (and only $7.99 - that's my girl!). We then went to Target to find a skinny yellow belt. No such luck, but we did find a gold & yellow necklace, yellow & gold bangles, earrings, and a few hair accessories... She ruled out the hair ones, because (remember the crown she was wearing?) she has to wear the crown; she was going to wear on a cool bun, but actually ended up just leaving her hair down. She ruled out the earrings because she didn't want to wear any. She decided on the necklace ($16.99) because it had both gold & yellow; her nails are black with gold & orange glitter, so it coordinated nicely.
We looked at shoes, but nothing struck her fancy, so we went to Payless. Now, normally, we don't shop there (lower quality than what you get at Nordstrom Rack & Famous Footwear), but I figured she would only wear the shoes once or twice, anyway. She tried on four or five pairs (one actually was named her ex-stepmonster's name, so she said something like "I could wear those... it would be like stepping on her every time I walked." HAHA!), but settled on some cute black wedges ($19.99).
In true Princess fashion, she was a bit bummed that a couple of her friends, whom she feels were "more deserving" (better grades, more volunteer work, one is even already in Leadership), didn't make it. I asked her if those friends were mad at her for making it in? She said, "No, they're just upset they didn't... They're happy for me, just bummed for themselves." Oh, ok. I did remind her that they, as well as she, all have the potential to be nominated & possibly on the Court, all other years they're at the h.s.
This past Sunday, the Leadership kids (of which, Princess' bff, KP, is part of) and all grades of May Fete court gathered at the high school for campus beautification. They were fed pizza for lunch, then Leadership decorated the gym while Court practiced. Yesterday, they were presented at an assembly for the the whole school, and last night, there was a ceremony & reception for all Court members, family, & friends.
My mother came out early to take Princess out to dinner to celebrate. She & only one of my momfriends ended up being able to make it, but a few of Princess' friends came too. Everyone took pics and a couple got video too. I keep thinking about how great these things will look on scholarship/college applications... Oh, and she was offered a spot on the Link Crew for next year, too... Application was filled out & turned in, and we are now waiting on that announcement.
So, I helped her fill out her application, which consisted of asking what groups, activities, clubs, volunteer work, etc she'd done *while at the high school* and a little essay she had to write. She actually hasn't had much (there *was* at least one thing she could list per question) this year, but I told her to go ahead & add things she'd done in previous years, too. It may or may not have helped, but it certainly couldn't have hurt her chances. She turned it in the following Wednesday, then I sent a message asking for clarification to the Activities Coordinator, and she replied, "...May Fete Court is a tradition at ***** going back 99 years. It recognizes students for their dedication to academic achievement and service to school and community. It is a great honor to be on May Fete Court..."
Last Monday, she came home wearing a crown & holding a yellow balloon. I didn't even blink at the crown (this wouldn't have been the first - or even 5th - time she'd worn a crown at school) but I asked about the balloon. She said, "I made May Fete Court; they announced this morning." She told me that her classmate (since Kindergarten), Greyson, and newest friend, Harmony, also got in. Super-happy excited, she started sharing the details of what responsibilities she had as part of the court, what specifications were for attire, and when the ceremonies were. She needed a black dress and "something yellow" as an accessory. I asked my mother and a few momfriends if they could be there; everyone said yes!
Tuesday, I redid her nails, and Wednesday, after she got home from GSA, we went shopping. She found & tried on 4 dresses at Ross; the last one was perfect (and only $7.99 - that's my girl!). We then went to Target to find a skinny yellow belt. No such luck, but we did find a gold & yellow necklace, yellow & gold bangles, earrings, and a few hair accessories... She ruled out the hair ones, because (remember the crown she was wearing?) she has to wear the crown; she was going to wear on a cool bun, but actually ended up just leaving her hair down. She ruled out the earrings because she didn't want to wear any. She decided on the necklace ($16.99) because it had both gold & yellow; her nails are black with gold & orange glitter, so it coordinated nicely.
We looked at shoes, but nothing struck her fancy, so we went to Payless. Now, normally, we don't shop there (lower quality than what you get at Nordstrom Rack & Famous Footwear), but I figured she would only wear the shoes once or twice, anyway. She tried on four or five pairs (one actually was named her ex-stepmonster's name, so she said something like "I could wear those... it would be like stepping on her every time I walked." HAHA!), but settled on some cute black wedges ($19.99).
In true Princess fashion, she was a bit bummed that a couple of her friends, whom she feels were "more deserving" (better grades, more volunteer work, one is even already in Leadership), didn't make it. I asked her if those friends were mad at her for making it in? She said, "No, they're just upset they didn't... They're happy for me, just bummed for themselves." Oh, ok. I did remind her that they, as well as she, all have the potential to be nominated & possibly on the Court, all other years they're at the h.s.
This past Sunday, the Leadership kids (of which, Princess' bff, KP, is part of) and all grades of May Fete court gathered at the high school for campus beautification. They were fed pizza for lunch, then Leadership decorated the gym while Court practiced. Yesterday, they were presented at an assembly for the the whole school, and last night, there was a ceremony & reception for all Court members, family, & friends.
My mother came out early to take Princess out to dinner to celebrate. She & only one of my momfriends ended up being able to make it, but a few of Princess' friends came too. Everyone took pics and a couple got video too. I keep thinking about how great these things will look on scholarship/college applications... Oh, and she was offered a spot on the Link Crew for next year, too... Application was filled out & turned in, and we are now waiting on that announcement.
Monday, May 11, 2015
Mother's Day
A month ago, my original plan for Mother's Day was the same as it's been for the last 4 or so years; jammies all day with my daughter responding to my every need and husband & daughter making dinner together. Then, I talked to my brother. He, his daughters, & his wife were to be in town that weekend (he is an ordained minister and was officiating his old college roommate's wedding), and wondered if I'd mind getting dressed and joining them and our mother for brunch. After grumbling a bit, I agreed, and mom made the reservations.
Ace is not required to do anything for me except cook dinner; we decided long ago that it was ridiculous since I'm not his mom (same for Father's Day - he's not my dad), but my lovely husband got up early (on his days off, he's normally up around 8a; that morning, he got up at 7a) so as to let me "sleep in", and fed & let out the dogs. I was up by 730a (in this day & age, that *is* sleeping in for me; I'm usually up by 7a). I decided not to wake Princess up yet; I made my own mocha (usually she makes it for me on M.D.), caught up on messages, posted the first of many photos (my mother with all five kids, me & my mama, pics from brunch, pics of Elvis - we've had him exactly a year), then woke her at 830a.
We got dressed and out the door, parked at my salon, and walked a few blocks to West Cafe. T & fam had just pulled up (gotten up front parking) so the girls came running down the sidewalk to greet Princess & I. We got seated, had a good breakfast, took some pics, caught up on life, and left. Firefly will be here over Memorial Day weekend, and I will have her all day on Saturday, so we talked about maybe going bowling. Princess & I then stopped at Victoria's Secret on the way and were home by 1130a.
Princess had been agonizing over "what to get" me and when I told her I didn't want a physical gift, she seemed relieved. She asked what I'd like instead. I said, "...mostly the same thing you've been doing for years; a day of peace, the remote, food & drink when I need it... and one more thing." She asked, "What's that?" I said, "I'd like for you to do all the laundry." I usually just don't do it on M.D., but then it's still there, waiting for me, on Monday. She said, "That's it? Easy peasy!"
When we got home from brunch, she gathered, separated, & started a load of laundry and I did a bit more "computering", then settled in on the couch with my tablet & the remote. She brought me a snack at 230p, and around 330p, she & Ace went to the grocery store to get what we needed for my requested dinner and they ended up doing all the grocery shopping for the week (so we don't have to do that today; yay). They looked up recipes and got started on dinner around 530p; at 645p we ate. They had made wood-planked salmon on the Traeger (brushed with Italian dressing & Saskatchewan seasoning), a basic risotto, and buttered corn. For dessert, they had picked up red velvet cupcakes.
I didn't even have to clear my place, let alone load the dishwasher or clean the counters (my usual after-dinner chore when both Ace & Princess cook); I just went back to the couch. Princess helped Ace clean up after dinner, finished up the laundry, and served me a cupcake with a cup of milk as we settled in to snuggle & watch the season finale of OUAT. Aside from having to get dressed & drive into Portland, it was probably the most relaxing Mother's Day I've ever had.
**edit -- just got a message, left yesterday, from my son on Ace's phone, wishing me a Happy Mother's Day. Love him!**
Ace is not required to do anything for me except cook dinner; we decided long ago that it was ridiculous since I'm not his mom (same for Father's Day - he's not my dad), but my lovely husband got up early (on his days off, he's normally up around 8a; that morning, he got up at 7a) so as to let me "sleep in", and fed & let out the dogs. I was up by 730a (in this day & age, that *is* sleeping in for me; I'm usually up by 7a). I decided not to wake Princess up yet; I made my own mocha (usually she makes it for me on M.D.), caught up on messages, posted the first of many photos (my mother with all five kids, me & my mama, pics from brunch, pics of Elvis - we've had him exactly a year), then woke her at 830a.
We got dressed and out the door, parked at my salon, and walked a few blocks to West Cafe. T & fam had just pulled up (gotten up front parking) so the girls came running down the sidewalk to greet Princess & I. We got seated, had a good breakfast, took some pics, caught up on life, and left. Firefly will be here over Memorial Day weekend, and I will have her all day on Saturday, so we talked about maybe going bowling. Princess & I then stopped at Victoria's Secret on the way and were home by 1130a.
Princess had been agonizing over "what to get" me and when I told her I didn't want a physical gift, she seemed relieved. She asked what I'd like instead. I said, "...mostly the same thing you've been doing for years; a day of peace, the remote, food & drink when I need it... and one more thing." She asked, "What's that?" I said, "I'd like for you to do all the laundry." I usually just don't do it on M.D., but then it's still there, waiting for me, on Monday. She said, "That's it? Easy peasy!"
When we got home from brunch, she gathered, separated, & started a load of laundry and I did a bit more "computering", then settled in on the couch with my tablet & the remote. She brought me a snack at 230p, and around 330p, she & Ace went to the grocery store to get what we needed for my requested dinner and they ended up doing all the grocery shopping for the week (so we don't have to do that today; yay). They looked up recipes and got started on dinner around 530p; at 645p we ate. They had made wood-planked salmon on the Traeger (brushed with Italian dressing & Saskatchewan seasoning), a basic risotto, and buttered corn. For dessert, they had picked up red velvet cupcakes.
I didn't even have to clear my place, let alone load the dishwasher or clean the counters (my usual after-dinner chore when both Ace & Princess cook); I just went back to the couch. Princess helped Ace clean up after dinner, finished up the laundry, and served me a cupcake with a cup of milk as we settled in to snuggle & watch the season finale of OUAT. Aside from having to get dressed & drive into Portland, it was probably the most relaxing Mother's Day I've ever had.
**edit -- just got a message, left yesterday, from my son on Ace's phone, wishing me a Happy Mother's Day. Love him!**
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
Warning... Potty Talk Inside!
Seeing as this is work-related, I contemplated posting it on my work blog, but decided that was not really the right audience for this. So, you get my work rantings; lucky you!
Let's backtrack a little. Every since I can remember in my career, I've been the tallest one there. The owner has, on occasion, asked me to change lightbulbs in different areas of the salon. A few years ago, I took it upon myself to take care of the ones upstairs, as well (the bathroom has one and there are four in the hallway, so no big deal). At some point, I was finding myself not only being the *ONLY* one changing the bulbs upstairs (I get it; you have to stand on a stool or chair to do it, and the other people who worked upstairs with me were older; fine), but also being the *only* one changing the toilet paper (it's a stand-alone one; maybe the roll holder is too snug for most people?) and the *only* one refilling the paper towels (I'm thinking that either no one else knows where the key for the holder is -- above the window sill in the bathroom -- or they can't reach it; again, fine).
Over the last couple years, I've not only found myself being the only one taking care of these things, but also these things being just left for days on end (when I'm not there). I am constantly, after my weekend (from Saturday around 1p 'til sometime on the following Tuesday), walking in to bulbs out (if there aren't some on the shelf behind the door, there are always more in the downstairs bathroom, people!), paper towel packages ripped open (sometimes half gone) on the counter, and toilet paper rolls completely out (there *are* more DOWNSTAIRS!!), or sitting either on the counter, on the back of the toilet, or (my favorite) literally on top of the empty roll still on the stand.
Oh, these things are annoying, but it gets worse. Lately, at least one of the hairdressers (and I'm pretty sure I know which one, I just haven't been able to prove it) is using the upstairs toilet to poop. Don't get me wrong; I understand that we all have to poop at work sometimes... the pooping is not the issue. The issues are: (1) There is no vent/fan in there & the window is painted shut, and she is a fan of shutting the door when she's done AND (2) I keep Fabreze in there for this purpose but she doesn't use it. Another problem is that the other woman who works upstairs (whom I believe is, along with her clients, the one to blame for the lights/tp/pt problems), also either leaves lights on when she's the last to leave (or when she's done in the bathroom; sometimes she even closes the door, so it looks like there's someone in the bathroom when there's not!), or turns all the lights off WHEN I'M STILL THERE!!
Now, for the worst offense -- Two or three Saturdays ago, I came into work (I'm usually the first one there on Saturdays) to find the upstairs bathroom light on, the door partially shut, & the toilet lid down. I took a heavy breath/sigh, pushed open the door, shut the light off, and went about setting up for my first client of that day. Fifteen minutes later, I had to pee, so I lifted the lid... Wanna know what I found? If you gross out easily, now is the time to stop reading... Ok, you asked for it: a huge pile of poop and two big wads of toilet paper... and of course, the smell starts wafting out at that point. So, I made sure I had the plunger ('cuz "something's wrong with the toilet" is the first thing that pops in most people's heads, right?), I flushed, and I sprayed some Fabreze. Everything went down fine, I cleaned the Fabreze off the toilet, used it, waitedwaitedwaited for it to fill (it's an old home), flushed again, washed my hands, and realized my blood pressure was really high.
My biggest complaint with this stuff? IF YOU CAN'T TAKE CARE OF IT, WHY DON'T YOU ASK ME OR P.H. TO TAKE CARE OF IT?!?! WHY JUST LEAVE IT FOR SOMEONE ELSE!??! It amazes me how certain people treat other people's things & places... Do you act like that in your own home? Your parents' place? Your best friend's? I spoke to the owner, and she promised to distribute a memo regarding everyone's responsibilities at the salon (there are similar/related things happening downstairs, as well) when we have all signed our new contracts. Yesterday, I signed mine, and when I gave it back to her, she said that I was the first to do so. So, I (im)patiently wait for the promised memo. In the meantime, I also discussed my disgust with another of the hairdressers (one who is a pretty good friend, and who is highly likely to share my complaints with the offender). Fingers crossed!
Let's backtrack a little. Every since I can remember in my career, I've been the tallest one there. The owner has, on occasion, asked me to change lightbulbs in different areas of the salon. A few years ago, I took it upon myself to take care of the ones upstairs, as well (the bathroom has one and there are four in the hallway, so no big deal). At some point, I was finding myself not only being the *ONLY* one changing the bulbs upstairs (I get it; you have to stand on a stool or chair to do it, and the other people who worked upstairs with me were older; fine), but also being the *only* one changing the toilet paper (it's a stand-alone one; maybe the roll holder is too snug for most people?) and the *only* one refilling the paper towels (I'm thinking that either no one else knows where the key for the holder is -- above the window sill in the bathroom -- or they can't reach it; again, fine).
Over the last couple years, I've not only found myself being the only one taking care of these things, but also these things being just left for days on end (when I'm not there). I am constantly, after my weekend (from Saturday around 1p 'til sometime on the following Tuesday), walking in to bulbs out (if there aren't some on the shelf behind the door, there are always more in the downstairs bathroom, people!), paper towel packages ripped open (sometimes half gone) on the counter, and toilet paper rolls completely out (there *are* more DOWNSTAIRS!!), or sitting either on the counter, on the back of the toilet, or (my favorite) literally on top of the empty roll still on the stand.
Oh, these things are annoying, but it gets worse. Lately, at least one of the hairdressers (and I'm pretty sure I know which one, I just haven't been able to prove it) is using the upstairs toilet to poop. Don't get me wrong; I understand that we all have to poop at work sometimes... the pooping is not the issue. The issues are: (1) There is no vent/fan in there & the window is painted shut, and she is a fan of shutting the door when she's done AND (2) I keep Fabreze in there for this purpose but she doesn't use it. Another problem is that the other woman who works upstairs (whom I believe is, along with her clients, the one to blame for the lights/tp/pt problems), also either leaves lights on when she's the last to leave (or when she's done in the bathroom; sometimes she even closes the door, so it looks like there's someone in the bathroom when there's not!), or turns all the lights off WHEN I'M STILL THERE!!
Now, for the worst offense -- Two or three Saturdays ago, I came into work (I'm usually the first one there on Saturdays) to find the upstairs bathroom light on, the door partially shut, & the toilet lid down. I took a heavy breath/sigh, pushed open the door, shut the light off, and went about setting up for my first client of that day. Fifteen minutes later, I had to pee, so I lifted the lid... Wanna know what I found? If you gross out easily, now is the time to stop reading... Ok, you asked for it: a huge pile of poop and two big wads of toilet paper... and of course, the smell starts wafting out at that point. So, I made sure I had the plunger ('cuz "something's wrong with the toilet" is the first thing that pops in most people's heads, right?), I flushed, and I sprayed some Fabreze. Everything went down fine, I cleaned the Fabreze off the toilet, used it, waitedwaitedwaited for it to fill (it's an old home), flushed again, washed my hands, and realized my blood pressure was really high.
My biggest complaint with this stuff? IF YOU CAN'T TAKE CARE OF IT, WHY DON'T YOU ASK ME OR P.H. TO TAKE CARE OF IT?!?! WHY JUST LEAVE IT FOR SOMEONE ELSE!??! It amazes me how certain people treat other people's things & places... Do you act like that in your own home? Your parents' place? Your best friend's? I spoke to the owner, and she promised to distribute a memo regarding everyone's responsibilities at the salon (there are similar/related things happening downstairs, as well) when we have all signed our new contracts. Yesterday, I signed mine, and when I gave it back to her, she said that I was the first to do so. So, I (im)patiently wait for the promised memo. In the meantime, I also discussed my disgust with another of the hairdressers (one who is a pretty good friend, and who is highly likely to share my complaints with the offender). Fingers crossed!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)