Happy New Year!

Wow! What a year 2007 has been here are just a few of the highlights.

1. Buying my first house
1.5. Fixing up my first house
2. Getting Kona
3. Buying a new car
4. Breaking up with my boyfriend of 7+ years
5. Being in a job I actually enjoy

I can't imagine what 2008 (and being 30 yrs old) will bring.

Happy First Snow

If anyone had tips on how to not get snow all over your house when you have a dog I would love to hear them.

Bad Dog

Kona peed in the middle of my bed last night. I couldn't believe it. I had been working in the garage and had the door to the house open so that she could go in and out then I hopped in the shower. I guess I missed her signal. I am not sure why she chose my bed. Maybe she had been sneaking onto my bed every time I take a shower. Who knows. Anyways, I didn't catch her in the act so there wasn't really anything I could do about it. Today I am taking my down comforter and feather bed into the cleaners. Bad Dog. Ugghhh...I wonder how much this will cost me.

My New Car

Look what I found today. I get it tomorrow!

Happy Halloween!

Not Alone

Last night was Kona's training class. When we go there the golden retriever (Buddy was late). Apparently Buddy ran into a piece of metal this week and nearly lost his eye. Luckily he is going to be okay. And, I am kind of relieved that I am not the only one that has weird things happen to their pets.

This weekend I am going to go hang out with my parents I have a long to do list:
Find stuff for a Halloween Costume
Find stuff to make a dog bed for Kona's crate
Look at stuff to make curtains
See if they still have this jacket I want at the Rack
Look for more workout clothes
Get pet food (dog and cat) and chew bones (just for dog)
See if I can find stuff to make a piece of original art for my living room
Get a princess item (something I need for work)
Get a card

Looks like I will be busy!

Eye Popping

This weekend my Grandma and Mom came up to visit me. It was the first time that Grandma had seen my house. It was great motivation to get stuff put away and cleaned up. Kona was pretty good once she settled down. We let her play outside and then she came in and took a nap. When she woke up her eyes were swollen. Her right eye was almost swollen closed and her left didn't look much better. I rinsed off her head and then called my vet and he told me to give her some Benadryl. Of course this completely knocked her out, but after several hours it seemed to do the trick. I have no idea what she got into, but the next day I mowed down all the weeds in my back yard. What is it with my pets?

Eye Popping Continued...

I Wish...

...I could rescue this puppy. I think Kona would love her. She is so cute! Then I could have two doodles.

$365 Enema

For those of you that have been reading my blog for some time you probably thought this post would be about my cat. Oh no....this time it was Kona. She had been mopey and disinterested in food then she started throwing up so I decided to take her to the vet. I was hoping she hadn't eaten anything bad that was blocking her digestive tract. After x-rays and blood work we decided that she just needed a enema. What is with my pets? Why are they always getting constipated?

So now I have a happy puppy once again. Although, she did eat (and throw up) a pine cone last night. Duh.

Unfortunately, this unexpected vet visit has put off my being able to get a new car that can transport me, my dog, and my kayak. I wish I could win the lottery (or even just a new car).

Hobo

The other night I was laying on the couch and noticed a giant hobo spider running across the end of my couch. Yikes!! I jumped up, grabbed my puma and smashed him into oblivion. (Shivers). I hate those things. And to think I was sharing my couch with him.

Chic Magnet

I am finding out that my new puppy is more of a chic magnet than a dude magnet. Definitely not the effect I was hoping for. Last time I took her for a walk I had two women pull over and ask me what kind of dog she was. (Sigh).

To my friends in Cali- you said I needed to make sure that my dogs name was something I would be comfortable explaining to a guy... you didn't warn me that I should make sure my dog isn't so cute that she only attracts women. :o)

Shredding

I think I found the perfect way to get rid of junk mail. All I have to do is leave it on the floor and Kona takes care of everything. This morning she shredded two newspaper fliers and had a blast doing it. All I had to do was make sure she didn't eat all the little pieces.

Biting

Everything is going well with my new puppy. She is very smart and is learning her basic commands quickly. We still have to work on the biting thing, but I am hoping to squash that behavior in the next couple of weeks. I think I will try to take her for a walk tonight and see how it goes.

Sheep Walking

Just when you think you've seen it all you see some girls walking their sheep around the neighborhood on a leash. What is wrong with getting your kids a dog?

Welcome Kona Kale'a

I am surviving the first week with my new puppy. I have decided to name her Kona. So far she has been so much fun and is such a good girl.

Sadie is a little upset by her arrival and is no longer sleeping with me. I am hoping she will come back to her side of the bed once things settle down.

The Name Game

OK...so I know I am absolutely driving everyone batty with trying to name my puppy. But, here is the new short list. Are there any that you like?

Cricket
Olive (kind one, peace)
Nami (wave)
Kale'a (joy)
Kamea (sweet darling)
Lula (lady, princes)
Kona
Yula (little bear)

Here is a story that her current parents shared with me: "last night ... she was sneaking up behind her siblings and stealing their toys. When she would almost reach her victim she would let out a little bark or maybe a chirp like a cricket. Then when she was done wrestling she would curl up on her new toy and fall asleep."

She is sooo cute!!! I can't wait to get her.

My New Puppy

On Saturday I am picking up my new puppy. She is a goldendoodle which is a golden retriever poodle mix. She is sooo cute. I can't wait to bring her home. I am sure I will have a lot of good stories to share. I am still trying to pick a name. Everyone is voting on what I should call her. Right now the names that are rising to the top are Cricket, Lulu, and Bailey. What do you think?

All Moved In

This weekend my mom came and helped me start to unpack. My place is finally starting to look like a home. The only rooms I have left to unpack are the office (junk room) and my bathroom. Things are really coming along. I still have a lot of work to do (new deck, stain porch, landscaping, touch up some paint, kitchen lights, garage door opener, pave driveway), but it is all stuff that can be done over time.

Gag Reflex

This weekend my parents, brother, and nephew helped me move into my house. I still have a few random things to bring over from my old place; but basically I am all moved in. I am now living in a mountain of boxes. I hate this in between phase. I can't wait to get everything put in its place. All I want to do is unpack, but I have to spend tonight cleaning the rental so that I can get back my damage deposit.

I brought Sadie over to the house last night. She is busy exploring everything. I still have paper on the floor and she must not like the feel of it because she keeps jumping over it. Last night I was so tired I forgot to give her water, so when I woke up this morning there was some kitty throw up on my new laminate flooring. I am such a bad parent. Of course I quickly realized my mistake and she is now well hydrated.

The bad new...the pig smells so bad that sometimes my gag reflex kicks in. Ugh...will it ever snow? I think a thick blanket of snow might just cover up the foul stench.

Moving

I keep telling people that I need to "pack". And of course they ask..."where are you going?". I wish! Nope no fun involved in this packing project. I getting ready to move into the house. Wish I was more excited.

Bad Things Come in 3s

1. My Nana died
2. My cousin's dog strangled on its line
3. My Grandma had a heart attack (she is going to be okay, we think)

I hope these are the 3 that count, I have had about all the bad news I can take for a while.

The Finish Line

Well, we are basically done with the house. I only had one guy flake and not get his work done. So, we have been trying to get the last little pieces put together. It is so maddening when everyone pulls together to get stuff done, and just one person drops the ball.

Hopefully everything will work out with the financial piece of things.

I plan to move in before the end of the month! Crazy.

Thank you Mom and Dad for all your hard work. I can't begin to express how thankful I am. You both went above and beyond for me. Thank you!

More pictures coming soon.

Good News

My dad talked to my next door neighbor and he said that the "pig thing" isn't working out. (Duhhh). So it looks like this will be the first and last time they try to raise a pig for meat. Hopefully they won't try a cow next.

More Painting

Bad Timing

It turns out that my Nana's funeral is going to be next Tuesday in Spokane. I don't want to sound insensitive, but that was also the day of my hair appointment. It typically takes 6 weeks to get into my stylist (Yes, she is that good). Now my appointment isn't until August 16th. Ughh. Luckily, my friend A was able to take my appointment time.

As preparation for the funeral I have ordered a gift basket for the nursing home staff that took care of Nana, and also ordered a smoked turkey for the after funeral gathering.

Here is my favorite place to get gift baskets. You get more food and less packaging: http://www.peanutprinciple.com

Starting to Worry

Everything seems to be coming along nicely on the house. I picked up my tile, the windows are installed and the siding is fixed. We are almost done painting the interior, and are working on prepping the exterior, but...

My bathroom/facia guy seems to be flaking. I know he is really busy, but he is starting to scare me. He hasn't even started the bathrooms. He was supposed to be there today, but called and said that he can't make it out until 5pm. Plus my soffits are halfway done! Yikes...we need to paint the exterior and the bathrooms. We are really waiting on him. I hope he comes through. Only 10 more days to go.

Northwest Airlines Sucks- Rant

Last week I flew to NY to visit my bf for his 30th birthday. I was supposed to fly NW airlines from Spokane to Laguardia. I made it to Minneapolis, got on the plane and was taxiing out to the runway when they said there was a weather delay. Eventually, they ended up going back to the gate, letting us off the plane, and then cancelled the flight!

When Northwest Airlines cancels a flight every employee seems to disappear and mass chaos ensues. Then they wheel out the "re-booking cart" (this should be your first clue to never fly with NW they cancel flights so often they have a special cart). The "re-booking cart" has several phones on it so that you can call their 800 number and get you new departure time. Or, if you have a phone you can call the 800 number yourself. Thing is, when you call the number they say there will be a 5-10 min. wait which really equals 25 minutes. There are approximately 10 annoying questions they ask through an automated system each time you call the number, so if you hang up you are screwed and have to go through all of that again.

When I finally got a real person on the phone she said that they could get me out on a flight at 7am with 2 connections I should reach NY by 6pm. Ummm......does that sound like BS to anyone else? Or...I could take a flight that leaves around 2 with 1 connection and get into NY around 9pm. Hello...I was supposed to be in NY by 5pm today not tomorrow. And...because the cancellation was "weather related" they don't have to give you a room or anything. You are basically up Sh%$ creek. I asked about having the trip declared a "travel in vain" and just heading back to Spokane, but Northwest said they couldn't guarantee that I would get my money back.

I called the BF and he got online and was able to find a flight with Airtran that would take me to Atlanta and then Newark arriving at 1am (that sure beats Northwests 6pm). So I tell him to reserve me a spot on that flight. I retrieved my luggage from NW and headed over to the other terminal that housed Airtran. I was able to book the flight for $144 and was on my way! Yipee. When I got to Atlanta there was a weather delay, so I didn't get to Newark until 4am. But, that was still a lot better than Northwests arrival time.

Just a word of advice to Northwest Airlines: I understand that weather issues are out of your control; however, re-booking customers from cancelled flights is under your control. You should be able to get customers out in a timely and friendly manner.

During my time waiting around for my flights I kept trying to call the stupid 800 number that NW airlines gave me so that I could tell them I was skipping a leg of my flight and so that I could get a partial refund. (After all, I am doing them a favor because now, so other poor soul can take my place). Now there is a 30 minute wait for a call agent! FYI, the company that I work for operates a call center and we answer every call within 3 seconds. My cell phone battery is dying so I decide to call back when I get to NY.

Note of advice for fellow travelers: If you ever are in this same situation, don't rule out other airlines. Also, remember to call the airline you were scheduled with because they will cancel your return leg if you miss a portion of your arrival flight.

When I finally got to NY I was so exhausted. I got ready for bed and dialed the dreaded 800 number again. Now it said there was a 30 min. wait. I waited an hour and a half and they never answered.

When I woke up later that day I was finally able to get a hold of a call agent it took 40 minutes of being on hold, while she called her help desk, before they could confirm me for the return flight. When I asked her for a partial refund she said she couldn't help me I would have to call a different 800 number. So, I called that number which directed me to call another number. I finally reached someone that said they would see about getting me a refund for part of my ticket. I will keep you posted!

I will never ever fly Northwest Airlines again!

Progress

Things are moving along nicely with the house. Today there are guys there fixing the siding and installing new windows. We have about 3/4 of the inside painted and are prepping the outside so that it can be painted on Saturday.

The tile that I ordered for my front entry way should be in this evening. Then we can get started on putting that in.

Pig update: as the summer heats up the stench from the Pig only gets worse. I can hardly wait to see how August smells!

Two Steps Forward, Three Steps Back

I am so sick of painting. I can't wait until it is all done. This weekend I had the fascia and soffit replaced on the house and it already looks so much better. I also took some mirrors that were glued to a wall (80's style) off and in doing so ripped off some drywall paper. (Under the mirrors was some lovely pink sponge paint- see picture above). Now I have to patch the holes and re-texture. Fun stuff. Mom and I were painting the walls with the trim on, then we decided it would be easier to paint if we took the trim off, so I ended up pulling all the trim off. I can't wait for things to start coming together.

I am going to NY for R's 30th birthday. I am leaving Wednesday morning and getting back on Sunday. I can tell that my dad is upset about this because he keeps whispering to my mom and talking under his breath. He thinks I should stay and work on the house. He is probably right given the extremely tight deadline we are under. But, after dating someone for over 7 years you kind of want to be there for their birthday (esp. when he was here for mine, and asked that I come as his gift). My fear is that dad will keep working on the house and then resent that I wasn't there to help. What should I do? I can't win no matter what I do.

Timber!

My new neighbors decided to cut down a tree from their back yard so that they could get their truck back there. (Not quite sure why you would want to put your truck in the back yard, I always thought driveways and garages where for vehicles). So...the guy was standing between the tree and his house with a rope tied to the tree so that he could pull it in the direct he wanted it to go. The tree fell towards his house (and him) with only a foot to spare. On its way down it took out part of his fence. Mission accomplished, now there is definitely enough room to drive a truck through there. We noticed that the guy that was helping him cut the tree really didn't say anything. He just got on his cell phone and called his girlfriend to come pick him up. I guess his work was done.

If This Isn't Motivation to Work Out I Don't Know What Is

Yikes!

Passing

My Nana died this morning around 7:30. She had emphysema that was caused by many years of smoking. I can't help but think she would still be perfectly healthy if only she hadn't smoked. The doctors said she had a very strong heart, and other than her lungs giving out she was basically healthy.

If you smoke please please stop! Think about what it would be like to never be able to walk up stairs again, to fall and break your hip because you black out and then you can't have surgury to fix it because you would die under anethesia, or to have the vains in your hands turn black when you scratch your nose because the effort used up to much oxygen.

Don't Feed the Bears

This article was posted on my companies internal Web site. (I have changed the actual name of mountain to "The Mountain".)


Title: Bear Alert at The Mountain- June 20, 2007
Body: The Bear Facts:

They are back and hungry – and curious. There are at least three different bears roaming around the Mountain community at the moment. Two black and one cinnamon in the one to two year old range. They are most often seen along the main road but there have been some encounters on the mountain as well – these encounters are with older bears. The concern is that they don’t get too comfortable around humans. Unfortunately the cinnamon yearling is already there as many motorists have stopped to watch and even get out of their car for pictures. This bear has also been fed. None of this is good.
Fish and Game has told us that they are out of the bear relocation business and if they have to deal with a problem bear they most likely will shoot it. Sadly, if this bear meets that fate it will be because of inappropriate human interaction. Please, do not feed these animals or even stop to watch them.

Any activity that makes them more comfortable around humans may ultimately cost them their lives. These are wild animals as well and just because they seem tame and cuddly, they aren’t. They’re after one thing and that is food. What seems like a docile encounter can instantly turn into an extremely dangerous one. A few days ago an 11 year old boy was killed in Utah by a black bear in a unprovoked attack while the family was asleep in their tent.

To date, the cinnamon bear seems to be the only one that is acting human friendly. Bears have run off in other encounters and have been territorial in at least one hiking encounter. We are going to try to re-program the cinnamon bear by employing some interactive tactics that have proven successful in making them afraid of humans again. Can’t guarantee it will work but we do need everyone’s support by not encouraging them to approach you in any way. If we’re not successful we may need to have Fish and Game intervene.

Limit your hiking to daylight hours. Bears react more aggressively to shadows in the evening. Please leave your pets at home – they may attract bears and in their efforts to defend you, they could endanger you. While you are hiking, make noise (bells, whistles, horns) and carry bear spray with you. If you encounter a bear that doesn’t want to move out of your way, choose another route (don’t cross in front of them). Don’t ever get between a sow and her cubs. If you suspect you have, move quickly out of the way.

The Mountain does not allow firearms on their property. [I especially like that this last line was added to the article.]

My note: For anyone that thinks bears are cuddly and cute you should watch the movie grizzly man. Come on people, use some common sense! Don't feed the bears or the next thing you know you will be the main course to their huckleberry dessert.

Paint is Supposed to be Fun.

I am trying to pick my paint colors for the interior of my house. Just when I think I have it all figured out, I tried the color that I was planning to paint the main part of the house on the wall. YIKES! It looks like of pinky gray. Hmmm...not good. Granted I am painting over yellow, so that could be messing it up. So, then I tried painting it on a white wall and it looked yellow. I don't want to paint the whole house and then decide that it looks like it has been chain smoked in for the past 50 years. So...now I am thinking of using the color I had chosen for the bedrooms in the whole house (Gobi Desert). Keep you posted...

My New Neighbor is Pig!

Literally!!! Yesterday morning we walked through my new house for the first time. The lady did a great job of getting things out and cleaning. We were outside examining the deck we were about to demolish when I heard squeals and grunts coming from my neighbors back yard. Yep, my next door neighbor has a pig as a pet. Why am I not surprised?

My parents and D (my realtor's nephew) did so much work yesterday. They tore up all the carpet and pad, took the roof off the porch, and demolished the back deck. I can't wait to see all the stuff they get done today.

Kayak Lust

The kayak I want is on sale at REI. It is the first time I have seen it go on sale...and of course...I just bought a house, so no kayak for me!

Let the Fun Begin

Yesterday I closed on my first house. I must admit it is a bit terrifying. As you probably know from my previous posts it is definitely a fixer upper. We have one month from yesterday to get all of the improvements done. So....you are all invited to grab a paint brush and head on over. I will keep you all posted with before and after shots. Wish me luck!

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

I had a fabulous time in California! I got to see almost all of the people I wanted to touch base with (TT and MP I am so sorry I missed you).

Thank you so much CS and DS for your wonderful hospitality! It was so great to see you and the kids, I miss you all terribly. Thank you also for the party on Monday; it was such a nice surprise to see P & J. I was also so happy to see BL. And of course, the food was amazing!

A- I am so glad everything is working out in Mexico. It was so much fun catching up with you.

Hopefully, you can all make it up my way sometime. I would love to play hostess (you can stay in my moose/bear themed spare room- so N. Idaho!).

Thank you all for such a great time.

Alaska Cruise

I took my first cruise...it will probably be my last. Come to find out, I don't like being on other peoples schedules (surprise, surprise). It seemed like every time I turned around they were calling all the cows to the trough, and the food wasn't even that good.

My major peeves: constantly feeling pressured to shop, gambling, smoke in the bars, having to pay extra for drinks, events that are geared only towards people in their 80s, bad entertainment that you are supposed to get excited about, and too much time on the boat and not enough time on shore.

My hats off to our wonderful head waiter, waiter, assistant waiter and room attendant. All of these men worked so hard, for what I am sure is not very good pay.

Highlights of the trip: towel critters, zip line canopy adventure, hiking, and ghost & good time girls walking tour.

Sold!!!

I bought a house. Isn't that crazy? Everything isn't final yet, and I don't close until June 18Th, but my offer has been accepted. The house needs a lot of work? But, isn't that what starter homes are supposed to be? So..grab a paintbrush and lets get started. I can't wait to kill that burgundy kitchen. Check out the mailbox, I think is it sleeping on the job. (I know it looks like a mobile home but it is actually a house.)

To my old roomie

I had a great time catching up with you last night. I am so excited for all the new changes in your life. You sounded like your old self again. I missed your old self!

If I get a dog one day..

...these are some of my top name picks. (Of course I need to find a house with a yard first.)

If is it a golden colored dog:
Lemon
Chrome

If it is a red colored dog:
Brick
Cherry
Flame
Rust
Wine

If he is spotted: (or a handful)
Motley

If he smells bad:
Whiff
Trace
Tang

Which of these names is your favorite?

Professional Services

Here are a few companies that are listed under professional services in our local phonebook:
Beartooth Bullets
Angus Custom Cuts
AAA Smart's Gamebird Trophies

A Super Sunday

This Sunday I had plans to clean my floors. I was really going to deep clean them; hands and knees with a scrub brush clean. But...at 6:30 in the morning I wake up to my cat puking. Yep, you guessed it...she was constipated again! So...being that it is Sunday and not a single vet clinic is open in this town, I had to drive to to Spokane to an emergency clinics so that she could get everything cleaned out.

My cat is in much better spirits today, but this next weekend I plan on borrowing my parents carpet cleaner so that I can shampoo my carpets in addition to scrubbing the floors. It seems that my cat has perfected the carpet scoot. Yuck! She isn't leaving big Hershey marks on the floor, but you can never be too paranoid. I don't want to stretch out on my carpet and get a whiff of kitty funk. Fun times!

I'm Going Going Back Back to Cali Cali

To all my Cali friends, watch out! I will be back in town for Memorial Day weekend. I hope I can see all of you.

Fiance, Pit stops, Frother, Sushi, Appendix and Modular Homes

On St. Patrick's Day I met my cousins fiance. I approve. My cousin and I figured I should probably meet him before I was in their wedding. We had a great lunch. Right about now he is probably thinking "OMG, what did I get myself into? Her cousin is insane! The girl didn't shut up the entire lunch." Sorry...I have a tendency to talk a lot when I like people. So you see, it is a good sign.

That night I met up with my friend B and her sister L for a little St. Patty's Day celebration. I would like to raise my glass to good friends, green beads, and Irish jigs. Girls, I will be your designated driver anytime! The entertainment was well worth it. And L, ---the pit stops on the way home with be our little secret (well..except for everyone that reads my blog, which isn't very many people). A and A- I am so glad you both were able to join us.

I LOVE MY FROTHER! This thing is the best invention ever. You just heat up a little milk in a mug, and this miracle tool whips it up into a thick yummy foam in no time. Wallah...instant cappuccino. I did have a little mishap or rather explosion the first time I used it, but I have since learned that there is a big difference between filling a mug 2/3 full and 1/3 full as the directions suggested. Just to be on the safe side I now operate my frother in the sink. Thank you B for my awesome present!

There is this great new sushi place in town that is sooo good. All of you that know me know that raw seafood scares me to death. Remember my little oyster bar experience? Yikes. But...this place has a lot of cooked options and they were so good. Our little town is getting so sophisticated.

Yesterday I got an email from my friend S saying that she had to have an emergency appendectomy. Scary stuff. I hope that you are feeling better, remember to take it easy.

On Monday I went and looked at the factory where they build custom modular homes. These houses are stick built, but they are build off site and then trucked in and set up on a foundation. This is my latest house hunting exploration. We are thinking I can buy some land and put one of these babies on it. Just another avenue to explore. I will keep you all posted.

Settling the Score

This weekend one of my best friends is coming into town. Like me, she too lives in a remote location (Montana). I can't wait to see her. We have been friends since at least Kindergarten.

When I moved to San Francisco she let me borrow an air mattress so that I would have something to sleep on while I was waiting for my bed to arrive. It is now three year later and I still have the air mattress. This weekend I promise to finally give it back. Promise.

Bye Bye Christmas Tree

Yesterday I came home super motivated. Grabbing my husky brand hand saw I headed towards my Christmas tree (I was so happy that I would get to use the saw again, it is so cute). I pulled the sad remnants of my Christmas tree over to my front porch, dropping needles everywhere along the way, and sawed it in half like a mad woman. I deposited both halves into my garbage can. A quick sweep of my walk way and in less than five minutes the whole mess was gone. I guess I probably should have done this earlier. Who knew it would be so easy?

Only in Idaho.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/03/07/ap/strange/main2546150.shtml

What Do I Do With My Christmas Tree?

I hate to admit it, but I still haven't properly disposed of my Christmas tree. For the last few months I have stuck it in the snow back that I created from shoveling my driveway. For a while I was able to fool myself into thinking that is was a nice addition to my landscaping and that no one would notice that the tree wasn't actually alive.
Fast forward to our recent spring thaw. The tree is dropping needles like crazy and starting to turn brown. And, my snow bank has melted so much that it no longer holds the tree upright. I currently have a dead, half brown Christmas tree laying in my front yard. What do city folks do with Christmas trees when the season is over? Growing up we would just return the tree to nature somewhere on our five acres, or we would burn it in a bonfire. I don't think that a bonfire would go over too well with my neighbors, and so far the returning to nature thing isn't working out so well. Any ideas?

Crazy Bulletin Board Postings

Here are the latest "creative" posts from our For Sale communication board at work.

Just in case you have an old fiddle laying around:
"Hi. I recently started teaching myself to fiddle and have had some luck with it, but I think It would be better if i had someone to learn with. Anyone out there have a fiddle laying around and always wanted to learn? I learned to hold, tune, and play some basic songs so i can help us both get started. I think this could be a hootenanny"

One post will trade a push lawn mower (not electric or gas), for fresh baked bread.

Snowshoes for sale!

These are not quite as interesting as deer heads for sale, but they still reek of North Idaho.

Sadie's New Wake Up Call

On Saturday Sadie found a new creative way to wake me up at 5:30 in the morning. (Drum roll please).....she fell in the toilet. I never said she was the smartest cat on the block. Don't ask me what she was doing. I have no idea....I was sound asleep and then I heard kerpluck! She did seem a little embarrassed.

No Skiing for Me. :-(

I am sick again! I missed two perfectly good days of skiing because I was sick in bed. Everytime I am looking forward to going skiing, BAM...I get sick again. So sad.

My Cat's Diet is Driving Me Crazy

When my cat recently got sick the vet suggested that I needed to put her on a prescription diet food. So, being the good cat mommy that I am, I did so. Well....the diet must be working because my cat is definitely more energetic. In fact, she chooses to be energetic at 5:00 in the morning. Please note that I don't have to be up for work until 6:30. Her latest shenanigans include walking across my headboard, rubbing on my lamp, meowing from down the hall, and getting tangled in the cords of my alarm and lamp. Oh...and she likes to walk on my alarm clock.

In an attempt to regain order in my household I now sleep next to the squirt bottle. This way, when the morning ritual begins it is easily at hand. My reprimand routine goes something like this:
"Sadie, no..(shake water bottle menacingly)..." Then she looks at me and does the bad behavior again. At this point I think she is thinking "now I have her attention. Wake up and play food provider". Then I respond "Sadie NO (squirt), No (squirt), No (squirt)". Then she moves on to the next annoying behavior and we start the cycle all over again. This pattern goes on until it is time to get up.

She also wants me to get up and turn on the faucet so that she can have a fresh drink of water. (Apparently the water I just squirted on her isn't enough). This in turn means that I have to get up again to turn off the water when she is done. To all my psychology friends out there.....I acknowledge that I been trained by my cat.

Tonight I am going to run her in circles before I go to bed. Hopefully she will sleep in tomorrow (fingers crossed).

I Don't Want to Live in a Dump

I have started my hunt to find a house to buy, and let me tell you the pickin's are very slim up here. This weekend I drove all over with my parents and scoped out neighborhoods. We also met with my realtor and walked through one house. Below is my best summary of the house that we looked at:

YUCK!

Soooo disappointing. I know I just have to be patient and hopefully something will come on the market. Right?

In my dreams, I would just build a cute little starter home. That way I would know for sure that there isn't a boogie man under the floorboards. Most of the places up here in my price range have been rentals for some time, and it shows. I am going to talk to my financial guy about the possibility of building, but I am not very hopeful. Usually, you need a down payment to build a house. I find it curious that our system is set up so that they rather us buy pieces of crap than build nice new houses.

(Sigh..)

Ever Get The Feeling...

Ever get the feeling that you are a sloth?
Ever get the feeling that you just aren't having a productive day?
Ever get the feeling that your cold medicine just isn't working as good today as it did yesterday?
Ever notice at 4:00pm that you took a NIGHT-TIME cold medicine at 8:00am?
I just did!

Just wondering if anyone else out there is as dopey as I am. At least this explains why I was day dreaming of my bed all day.

2x Too Many

I am sick again, for the second time this year. Uggg...I hate being sick (not like anyone enjoys it). I am crusing through the Puffs Plus with Lotion. Let me take a moment to plug the Puffs Plus product... at the first sign that you are getting a cold you should run out and get this product. It will prevent you from turning into rudolph, or at least prevent your nose from peeling off your face. My nose nose and eyes have revolted against me. I am going home to take a nice long nap.

A New Form of Entertainment

Today at the grocery store I saw the best invention ever. It is called "Grow-a-Pet". This product is related to the "Grow-a-Head" that I saw online last week and fell in love with. So...I bought myself the cat named "Puss" and for my friend I bought the dog names "Spike". They are currently germinating on our desks. I can't wait for Puss to sprout. Hmmm...that sounds kind of bad.

Fat Pants

It's official, I need to workout and eat better. I just bought 4 pairs of "fat pants" so that I will have something to wear to work. Ughh...how did I get this way? It couldn't have been the cheese, chocolate and cookies I ate, right? Hmmm...(thought to self) maybe I need to stay away from foods that start with a "c". How could these foods that I adore and admire so much not love me back. Or maybe they love me too much and decided to stick around for awhile. Literally!!!

I will keep my fingers crossed that all the "fat pants" I ordered will be too big and I will have to send them back. If they do happen to fit I am prepared to tell myself that they "just happen to run small".

Sick Kitty

On Saturday my cat, Sadie, got sick. It started with her throwing up and then I noticed she couldn't go to the bathroom. I haven't taken her to the vet here yet, so I just had to pick a place. I called at 10:30 and they got me in at 2:15. I walk in and the place is pretty dirty. There had just been an emergency with another pet and it didn't make it, so that family was crying on one side of the reception area. I take Sadie back into the exam room and she is so scared. I can barely get her out of her cage. The vet tech comes in and takes her vitals. She is one very unhappy kitty. (Imagine being constipated and having your temperature taken you know where). We take her out into another room and they take an x-ray. Sadie is now clinging to me for dear life and her breathing is out of control.

The vet comes in to exam her and show me the x-ray. Yep, definitely plugged up. He doesn't introduce himself, and he leaves the door wide open. The house cat comes striding in. Ummm.....my cat doesn't like other cats! I ask the vet to remove that cat (named Cee Cee). OMG!!! Whimpers and barks are coming through the open door. Is this guy and idiot? My cat is used to a nice quite subdued home. Then the vet delivers the final blow, Sadie will have to spend the night so that she can get repeated enemas. Yikes. All night I tossed and turned thinking of my poor little kitty in that awful, loud, dirty place. I am a bad kitty mommy.

The next day I went skiing and mom picked Sadie up from the vets for me. She didn't think it was so bad. Maybe I am a little sensitive. My vet in California was amazing and was definitely a cat lover. Hopefully Sadie will be okay, she is now on diet food. I will go home at lunch to check on her. And....I will be searching for a new vet.

Note: Picture is of Sadie on a happier day!

Official Ski Count: 4

What an amazing day! I went skiing with my dad. The snow was amazing and the company was superb. I always have such a great time skiing with dad because he challenges me to ski better. I must admit that I am a little stiff today. After skiing we went back to my place and watched the football game. We all (mom, dad and I) agreed that the game wasn't very exciting. I was hoping for an overtime situation, or at least a close game. Oh well, at least we had good food to eat during the game. We had spinach dip, 7 layer dip and pizza. Yummy.

For Sale

On my jobs internal electronic bulletin board this item was posted for sale:

2 large Deer heads!

want something to add that rustic/creepy/wonderful touch to your cabin or home? I have 2 large head and shoulder mounted bucks. One with 9 points and one with 8 both looking off to the right. They have minor damage to the ears but nothing a bit of glue couldn't fix (not hide damage, just slipping off plastic ear) 225.00 each or both for 400.00

Now that is North Idaho interior decorating at its best. I would say the emphasis is on creepy!

Please note: picture is not of deer actually for sale, just an example I found. If you are interested I can see if they will ship. :o) Just kidding.

Also for sale on our company website: Michelin X Ice Tires, Yearling Draft Cross Gelding, and a Ford F150 4x4. Grunt grunt grunt!!!

Trivia Night

Last night (Tuesday) was trivia night at a local pub/eatery. I have wanted to go for the longest time, but usually R and I talk on Tuesday nights. Last night I finally got to go. I was able to hang out with A (from work) and her husband and their friend B. I love low key gatherings. Hope I can go again soon!

Q. The word "tip" (as in something you give a waitress) originally started as an acronym, what does it stand for?
A. To insure promptness

Dropped BF Off At Airport

I took Monday off work to drive my boyfriend to the airport. This time I was convinced there would be no tears. Note: I say this every time and it never works. I just don't understand how he couldn't want to live in such a beautiful place. I know that it is not diverse here, but shouldn't love concur all? Plus how is it ever going to get diverse here if people don't move here. Hmmm...same old messed up relationship as always.

On the way home it started snowing...bad. Ugh...maybe this the reason people don't want to live here. Going through a small town on my way home I slid around a corner rally style and almost hit a snow bank. Maybe I was going a little to fast.

I finally made it home safe after driving, white knuckled, 45 mph the rest of the way. I walked into my house and it seemed so empty without R there. Even my cat was looking for him. There were little reminders that he was there. The air mattress that we had blown up so that we could cuddle and watch TV was still propped against the dining room wall. His toothpaste was still in the guest bathroom, and a pile of clothes were there for me to mail to him. Sigh....

I called my mom and chit chatted about my rally style driving and where my relationship with R was going to go. Then I sat down, watched the Miss America Pageant, petted Sadie, and waited for his call.

He made it home safe and missed me already.

Official Ski Count: 3

Last weekend I took Richard skiing for his first time ever. He did a really great job. We had a lot of fun for two hours and then he was totally pooped. After we refueled with some lunch we rode the chair lift up to the top of the mountain and enjoyed the view. That is what I call a great day!

I Missed a Question on a 2nd Grade Reading Test

Where I work we all have the opportunity to go volunteer at a local elementary school, so I go every Wednesday. My department volunteers in a second grade classroom. We help the students with their reading program. The program they use is computerized. The kids sit at computers with headphones and work their way through different stories. To move onto a new story the kids must practice a certain number of times, learn vocabulary words, take a quiz, and read out loud.

Today I was helping a little girl with the quiz portion of the program. The story, on Martin Luther King, was three paragraphs long. The first question is "what is the main focus of the story?" and the choices are "MLK was a great American", "MLK wanted peace for everyone", "MLK wanted everyone to be treated equally", and "MLK was bad at school". I thought the answer was "MLK wanted everyone to be treated equally". According to this reading program I was wrong. They said the answer was "MLK was a great American". I won't argue that this isn't true, MLK definitely was a great American, but that was one sentence in the story and the rest of the story talked about people being treated unequally. At least that is what it looked like to me. Shows what I know. Apparently I can't pass a 2nd grade reading test.

The BF is in Town

My boyfriend R came to visit me. He has been here since the 12th and will be here through the 29th. I think here is here to try to figure out what to do with the rest of his life. Unfortunately, I am not getting the feeling that the rest of his life includes North Idaho.

We went to visit my parents last weekend and we had a great time. We ate pizza and played a game we call "marbles". Since then I haven't been able to get him out of the house. Last night was trivia night at a local bar/restaurant; I have wanted to go for the last few months, I asked the bf if he wanted to go and he said no. But, he said I could go by myself if I wanted too. Boy, that sounds like fun (dripping with sarcasm)!

Some of my friends have asked us out to dinner, but he doesn't want to go. All he wants to do is sit at home and watch TV. I had to buy satellite TV especially for his visit. I normally don't have TV, and haven't had it for the past 3 years. Instead, I like to read or sew or hang out with friends. My bf has been pushing to get a TV in the bedroom. I think that the bedroom is for sleeping not for watching TV. At his house, my bf sleeps with the TV on. We are definitely not aligned on this issue.

I mentioned to R that we should hop a plane to Hawaii for a few days. He says he is willing to go, but he keeps bringing up the eight hour plane ride, the shark infested waters, and the fact that he can't swim. So....I don't think that trip is going to happen.

I will keep you posted...maybe I can get him to go through the drive through at McDonalds with me. It might take a miracle.

It's the Thought that Counts

For Christmas I asked my boyfriend R for a system so that I could listen to my ipod in my living room. He is so sweet and always goes above and beyond on my gifts, so he gave me a home theatre system.

This weekend I tried to set the thing up. Now, everyone that knows me know that I am a fairly organized person (my closet is color coded). There are now wires running all over my living room, it is driving me crazy. Plus...I can't get the thing to work. Apparently it has a DVD player, I already had a perfectly good DVD player which I am kind of sentimental about. Please don't think I am ungrateful, I am sure I will love this gift once it is set up and I can't see the wires that are strung all over my living room.

Luckily, my boyfriend is coming to visit me for 3 weeks. He has promised to take care of everything. Phew!!!!

My New Hairdresser

Finding a new hair stylist is always a challenge. One time I had a lady get my hair caught in the hair dryer motor. Another time this guy made my hair so big that my nephew cried when he saw me (scary aunt). This time, the experience was anything but traumatic.

On the recommendation of my friend (work A, thank you!) I went to this little place in town. You will love her, A raved, she is so funny and easy to talk to. Boy was she right, and this lady knows her stuff.

First off she actually looked at my hair. Imagine that. She noticed things and asked me questions. She notice the streak at the back of my neck that is platnum blonde and doesn't curl. She noticed that my curls are tighter around my face. Definitely a good sign. Then she deep conditioned my hair and gave me a great cut. And for the grand finale...she straightened my hair. I have never had it so straight. I love it, it looks smooth and shiny. Now I lust after a good straight iron!

The best part was the conversation. This lady was a hoot. She told me how she makes art out of animal bones and fake fingernails, how her husband drove an axe into his leg and they band-aided it closed, how she uses duct tape to keep herself from biting her fingernails, and how she had to use Christmas lights as an extention cord for her weed wacker in the middle of summer. She loves to hunt and fish, and is self admitted redneck. I felt comfortable around her immediately.

I can't wait for my next haircut!

This just in...

The following message was just sent to all employees at my work:

Please take great care when leaving the office today. The roads are extremely icy and snow is making visibility difficult.

Have a safe weekend!


Thought to self: Why didn't I wear my practical cute new snow boots today? If I go in the ditch on the way home and and have to get help from a true Idahoan the will definitely die of laughter when they see my croc print leather stilleto boots. "Hey, they are super cute!, I would say. Who cares if they are cold and have zero tread, just let me hold onto you, sensible moon boot man. I promise if I start to fall I won't take you down with me, promise!"

Get out the shovel...again...

It is official, a winter storm warning is in effect. Obviously it is a winter storm warning, what other type of warning would it be this time of year? It couldn't exactly be a summer storm warning now could it?

I am looking forward to a relaxing weekend at home. I hope to go up skiing, drink cocoa with homemade Kahlua (thank you A), start my sewing projects, attend a martini party, and....shovel snow, snow and more snow.

Shoveling snow in my neighborhood makes me think about my station in life. When I am up at six in the morning shoveling my driveway, I breathe in the crisp morning air and look around at all the husbands that are also shoveling snow. I envision their wives snuggled warmly in their beds, their duvets pulled tightly under their chins. And then...here I am...push, scoop, throw, push, scoop heave ho! Where did I go wrong? I try to tell myself it is good exercise, and that it is beautiful; I am not easy to convince. There is some good that comes from shoveling your own snow...new snow boots.

I finally found a pair of snow boots that are cute and actually sturdy enough for North Idaho. This means they are waterproof, warm, and have good tread. Supposedly, my new boots can keep my feet warm in -25 degree weather. I don't plan on actually finding out if this is true or not. But, it is good to know that I am prepared should the need arise.

Something You Don't Get to Experience In Cali

On New Years Day I attempted to drive home from my parents place in Deer Park to Sandpoint. I made it about 5 miles before deciding to turn back. I saw 4 cars in the ditch and decided it was a sign to turn back.

One car, a Ford Bronco, was facing the wrong way in the ditch and was being assisted by a shiny red fire truck and ambulance. Fun times! Further up the road a teal mini van was in the ditch, the woman inside still wore the face of shock.

After calling my cousin in Sandpoint to make sure she could stop by and feed my cat, I turned around and headed back past all the carnage. Just as I was passing the bronco and its entourage for the second time a Ford Explorer headed towards me up the hill lost control and started fishtailing across my lane. Breathe....Breathe (I think)....Slow down gently...give him time to get it under control...."STOP OVER CORRECTING YOU IDOIT"....drop my car down into 2nd....give him more time....hope the people behind me don't smash into me....he got it! OMG, my heart started racing and I couldn't breathe....I almost died. Just before I turn onto my parents road an ambulance passes me going towards the direction I just came. Definitely not a good way to start the new year.

Back safely at my parents house, I rejoined everyone at the bonfire. That night I watch Boise State beat Oklahoma. One of the best football games I have ever seen. I guess it was just meant to be.

Official Ski Count: 2

Happy New Year!

Welcome to 2007. As you can see I am just as fashionably challenged as always. With every year that passes it only makes it worse that I still sometimes write 1996 on my checks. For some reason 1996 is forever burned into my head. Maybe it was the top music:
1. Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix), Los Del Rio

2. One Sweet Day, Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men

3. Because You Loved Me, Celine Dion

4. Nobody Knows, Tony Rich Project

5. Always Be My Baby, Mariah Carey

6. Give Me One Reason, Tracy Chapman

7. Tha Crossroads, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony

8. I Love You Always Forever, Donna Lewis

9. You're Makin' Me High / Let It Flow, Toni Braxton

10. Twisted, Keith Sweat

Ummmm....that can't be it...yuck!

Or, maybe it was the movies:

1. Independence Day

2. Twister

3. Mission Impossible

4. Jerry Maguire

5. Randsom

6. 101 Dalmations

7. The Rock

8. The Nutty Professor

9. The Birdcage

10. A Time to Kill

Better...how strange, Tom Cruise (see #3 and #4) and Mel Gibson (#5) were both in the news in 2006.

Probably 1996 is etched in my mind because I graduated high school that year. Glory days.

I brought in 2007 with some of my good friends M and S. We had a great time. Thanks for the party M!

On New Years Day my brother and his family came over to my parents house and we had a bon-fire. We roasted hot dogs and smothered them with Mom's homemade chili. What a great way to celebrate the new year. My niece ate snow off her gloves and made snow angels while my nephew helped keep the fire stoked. Quality family time!

Happy New Year!

Eeek!- Update

FYI---getting a mouse onto a shovel is not as easy as it sounds. The poor little guy rolled like a sausage. Back, belly, back, belly...finally I got him on the shovel.