Friday, June 30, 2006

Home show

Last night I hosted my very first home show. As you all probably already know, home shows are where you have someone come in and give a demonstration about a product line and then wait for you guests to order stuff so that you can earn free products. Normally I am opposed to hosting parties, since I feel uncomfortable asking my friends to pretty much fund my desire for new things. But this jewelry just caught my eye - it's sterling silver with semi-precious gemstones. It's called Silpada jewelry and I just wanted it all, which is highly unusual for me.

So, I had the party and it was actually painfree. There was no presentation to sit through, the jewelry was just out for you to try on and admire. By the time the party was done, I actually earned myself $250 worth of free jewelry. Which means I was able to get some stuff for me and some birthday presents.

I also realized that I can have company over and even in my crowded living room we can have fun. For me this is a big step, since I have felt uncomfortable about having a group of "strangers" (folks who don't visit me often) hang out in my home. (I have an inferiority complex when it comes to the size of my home - in Texas everything is bigger, even the houses). I might even have hubby invite work friends and their wives over for a night of socializing.

**I've put up a link in case you want to check out the jewelry. I won't get anything from it, but I really think it is gorgeous. The catalogue does not due the jewelry justice - it is 100% prettier in person.***

Wednesday, June 28, 2006

Downward dog

I power yoga now.
Well, I've done it twice.
The last time the class was cut short.
I was glad.
When I topple over, I do it in slow-motion, in an almost graceful motion.
I know this from watching myself in the wall length mirror that is in the yoga classroom.
If nothing else, I will get a good cardio workout from laughing so hard.
As will my fellow classmates if they are watching me.


CLARIFICATION: Power yoga is like regular yoga, only you move quickly from pose to pose instead of holding in one stance for a long period of time.

Cardboard vs. plastic

I was getting ready to pour myself a large glass of juice the other day when I realized just how extraneous some "improvements" on products can be. What am I talking about? The plastic pour spout on 1/2 gallon cardboard juice or milk containers. I'm not quite sure what the thought process is behind this improvement; perhaps the developers felt it makes pouring juice easier, I don't know. What I do know is that it makes it so the container is not recyclable. The joining of plastic and cardboard make it so they can't pe put in the cardboard bin and they can't be put in the plastic bin either.
My other problem with this improvement - you can't get all the juice out. There is always some juice sloshing around on the bottom and no matter how you tilt the container, it stays stuck in it. Now you can just open up either side of the cardboard, but that would be the old-fashioned way of doing things. Next thing you know, we'd be back to opening the container in this fashion from the very start which would send the manufacturer into a tizzy. There might be an uprising with consumers demanding that the old way be returned. Think of the savings if they didn't add that piece of plastic to each container! True, we would still have those individuals who open both ends of the container because they forget to follow the directins of "open this end", but overall it would be an improvement. Admit it, we've all had that plastic seal break off in our hands at least once, or pulled so hard that some of the juice sloshed out onto the floor!

Yup, back to the old ways for me. Either that or I can just stick to coffee as my morning beverage of choice.

Saturday, June 24, 2006

Bathing suit battles

I'll be traveling to Hawaii in July for a wedding. While there, we'll be spending much time by the pool and in the ocean. Since there will be all these water activities, I feel I probably should search for a bathing suit, one that is both fashionable and flattering. I dread this search. I have had the same bathing suit for 7 years, and the best way to describe it in one word is "sturdy". It is a classic one-piece suit that has held up quite well to the trials and tribulations related to swimming with a toddler.

However, since I'll be child-free for this vacation, I would like a bathing suit that reflects this. Yet, my search as of yet has been a failure. It seems that any time I look for a new suit, there is never my size. If it is a bikini, I'll find a size 2 top and a size 16 bottom. If perhaps I was looking for a clown outfit, this would work, but since actually want something that flatters me, I keep searching. Then there are the one piece suits. Always when I find my size and then try the suit on, I am soon made to realize that it is an extra-long waisted style. (I'm short-waisted, which for those of you who don't understand what this means that when I try on pants, they come up to my armpits. My rib-cage ends below my bellybutton.)So with those bathing suits, the crotch is down to my knees. Again, not very flattering.

Worst of all, I actually have a bathing suit pictured in my mind, in both a one-piece and a two-piece style. Great you say, just find it and order it from on-line. Small problem there - I've never actually seen this bathing suit. It is a figment of my imagination. It does not really exist, which will make purchasing it rather difficult. Oh well, I'll just have to continue looking.

Monday, June 19, 2006

Rain, rain, go away....

OK, we have been under drought warning for the last year or so, with rainfall at a severe shortage. That ended today. We are offically above normal. Which makes sense, since some areas of town got 10 inches of rain today, with more to come in the following days.

I've been told that the flooding is as bad as when Tropical storm Allison struck 5 years ago. There were even alligators swimming in the flood waters. All I know is that the ride to work today was an adventure. As the boy sat in the backseat saying repeatedly, "hey it's like we're going through another car wash mom" as the waves (yes, waves) of water from oncoming cars swamped our car. We were lucky that we didn't get stranded in the middle (or side) of the road.

I know you are not supposed to travel through water that is higher the curb, but where are you suppossed to turn around when there are no driveways and there are drainage ditches that you can no longer see on the side of the road? At least I learned my lesson partially - I'll take the main road tomorrow. Maybe we'll be lucky and have a rain day tomorrow.

Saturday, June 17, 2006

Anniversary

So many times I post when things upset me, today I had to post some of the positive in my life.

Thursday was my 11th wedding anniversary, and I was pleasantly surprised by my husband. As you know from reading past posts, hubby is not known for his romanticism. I know he loves me, but he is not the traditional "romantic". So imagine my surprise when I see the flower delivery guy come to my work. Flowers at work again? (see Valentine's Day post for last time's efforts)My co-workers all start saying how romantic he is, sending me flowers for all these holidays. I start choking on my spit becuase I'm laughing so hard. I explain to them out the 11 years we've been married, I think I can count on one hand how many times I've had flowers delivered to me. This is an oddity, not a commonplace occurance. The flower arrangement is odd - there are 12roses- 11 red roses and one orange one sticking up along with some filler flowers. Since I'm also dealing with a migraine, the significance does not strike me as of yet.

Later on at home, my sweetie gives me my gift - a beautiful cedar trellis for my rose bushes. This is exactly what I wanted! As he explains it, he would have put the delivered roses on it, but couldn't figure out how to get it to me. Isn't that sweet?

So who would like to guess why my dozen roses where different colors? Anyone? 11 for the years we've been married, and one to grow on.

Saturday, June 10, 2006

What to keep and what to give away

My mother and I often discuss what my parents would like us children to do if they become terminally ill or if they pass away. That may sound morbid, but we are practical women and like to have plans set so that when a life changing event occurs, we have something to fall back on. We are the eternal realists, not optimists.

One thing we discuss is what is to happen to the houseful of furniture, knicknacks, tools, etc. that have accumulated over the years despite my best efforts of trying to get my parents to "clear the clutter". We children all live thousands of miles away and I shudder to think of having to pack and move those material goods. Most likely we would sell the stuff at an estate auction. But what would we keep? Is there anything so valuable to us that we would be willing to pack and ship it across the country?

Of course there is. The topmost thing on the list would be the photographs, decades worth of memories stored in old cardboard boxes, half with no name or date on them so it is anyone's guess whether the boy in the picture is Uncle David or little Danny. How do you divy up pictures? Does the person in the picture maintain material rights to it? What about in cases like mine, where my twin is in 98% of the photos with me? Let's put this one aside and go on with the list.

Each of us children do want one of the pieces of furniture my father has crafted over the years. Since we know the history behind each piece, not only is it a fine piece of furniture but it is also a bit my father's legacy. My sister and I have been lucky because dad has made things specifically for us and our homes, so even though we may all want the Shaker cabinet he crafted, I don't think there will be hard feeling by those who don't get it, since we already have something from dad.

What of mom? What would I want that would forever bring back found memories of my dear mom? She is a strong, stubborn, capable woman who has not had yet found a creative outlet for her talents. Perhaps some of her recipes, so that each time I prepeare one, I would fondly remember a dinner she created. Since dried out chicken was her specialty when I was growing up, maybe this is not such a good idea.

Perhaps something mom and dad made together. When we were toddlers, they often took to creating "one project wonders", where they would tackle a project complete and so they could say they did it and then be done with idea forever. They took our outgrown clothes and fashioned a colorful patchwork quilt out of them, handstiching the entire thing. My brother came into possesion of it (how, I do not know) and I believe still has it in the trunk of his car, for cold weather emergencies or warm weather picnics.

I am lucky in that I have an example of some of their handiwork. They did a large "paint-by-number" fabric painting with special fabric pens that were popular in the late '70's. After they were done with their "painting", dad hand-made the frame in which it hangs today in my living room. It is a very folk art type of painting, one that brings admiration from all who see it and awe when they realize it was done by my parents. It is the one material possesion (other than photographs) that I swore I would take with us last year when it looked as thought we were to be hit by hurricane Rita.

So that brings me to this question, what would you keep if you had the choice of only one thing (and it can't be photographs)?

Thursday, June 08, 2006

Dancing for joy and general musings

I'm doing a dance of joy today. I was able to have my treasurer's audit and pass off all my PTO nonsense. I love helping out my son's school, but the treasurer position was too time consuming for me, and the pressure to keep the financials correct did not help either.

I also get a day off tomorrow, the first in 2 weeks. It has been our busy time and we had several people out due to surgeries. Arrgh! I do have to work the weekend, but it is just a sales assistant job to sell homes. I get paid to sit for most of the day, catching up on my reading. Every once and awhile someone will come in, but then I get to socialize. Anyone looking for a house? Last weekend I got to help sell a $441,0000 house at a steal for $402,000. Pocket change, right? :)

Tomorrow the boy and I will just sleep in, relax, and maybe go swimming. What you should do on a summer day.

Not a very exciting post, but I didn't want you to think I was forgetting about you, my loyal readers.

Friday, June 02, 2006

Summertime

You know it is summer in Southern Texas when...
you cut the grass on Friday and it needs cutting again on Sunday
you hang clothes out to dry and they still are wet three days later
you walk outside and you are instantly drenched and there is not a cloud in the sky
the humidity gets so thick that when you use the airconditioning in the car, ice crystals form on the windshield.