Update in a Nutshell

I know, I have been MIA for a few. So, with that said, here is my update in a nutshell.

• Got a brand new fridge! Finally! Don't even ask about how many it took for them to realize it is just better to get us a new one.
• My back is a lot better, I went to the chiro several times for treatments. Bulging disk has settled down, no more muscle spasm, I just have to be careful lifting, etc.
• Tim and I are one step closer to our baby. We went to USCIS and got fingerprinted on Friday so now we wait for the i-171h and everything is out of our hands.
• I had a wonderful time with my brother while he was here last week. I got a sinus infection, but bucked up for his visit but when he left I was down for a while.
• BayLee is on his new medication for his stuffy nose and it is a 21 day round. We are on day 4 so there is no telling what will happen, I just hope it works. My brother said he sounds like Darth Vader.
• Emily arrives on Thursday night! I am so freakin excited I can hardly contain myself. I love hanging out with my sister. She is the BEST and so funny. I cant stop laughing when she is here.
• Me and a gaggle of my friends are renting a beach house in Bodega Bay this weekend (Fri-Mon) and that is going to be a blast! I am looking forward to sitting, drinking and talking AND having a long weekend off.
• No word on Apache. I miss him so much and pray that he is well. Cut to me watching "The Horse Whisperer" balling my eyes out the other night. I need to go and visit him, I need him in my life. For any horse people reading, you understand, I know you do.

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Magazines

I remember when my love for magazines began...

I was in elementary school and used to love to read my Mom's Better Homes and Gardens, Women's Day and Family Circle magazines. I think I looked forward to them arriving in the mail as much as she did. Since then I have been a complete magazine junkie. I remember when I got Highlights for Kids in the mail and then Seventeen Magazine. I would read Seventeen until I was blue in the face and could tell you what photo was on each page and what it was about. Fast forward to today...I can't tell you how many I am currently subscribing too, but I have cut down quite a bit (believe me). However, it is cheaper to subscribe than buy on the newsstand, plus you get something fun in the mail each month. Magazine subscriptions are a great gift too.

Anyway, I have to say that I never thought as an adult I would like Better Homes and Gardens again, but while in the chiropractors office last week and then again today I got sucked in. Wendy and I both decided that this is not your mother's Better Homes and Gardens magazine. The thing I love most is their website http://www.bhg.com/ . I guess if I think about it, the people that are currently running the magazine are of my generation or even younger; they aren't the same ladies that were running the show in the 80's. Either way, I love it. So many great ideas and still constructed of that cheap magazine paper. No thick, super shiny, hard to rip out pages like Vogue (sorry Anna Wintour, I am still a subscriber, but when I want to rip something out, it is hard - I feel like an old lady holding up the line trying to release the last check from my checkbook).
I just heard the following...

Anna Wintour thinks the word "blog" should be banned! The editor-in-chief of US Vogue has apparently decided that the word blog is vulgar and refuses to let it be used on the Vogue website.

You know after Anna reads this entry (I KNOW she secretly sneaks a daily peak at my blog, ha ha, she MUST, right?) she is going to rush straight to the Apple store and get an ibook just so she can be online outside the perimeter of Vogue's microscope and start checking out how many COOL blogs and other things there are out there. Enjoy it Anna!

New Favorite Skin Product

I know, I hate when people push products, but this one is really AWESOME, especially for air travel and summer time. I bought a couple of these last fall in the London airport and it was well worth it. I keep the chamomile one on my desk and spritz my face a couple times a day and over the last week my skin is dewy and nicely moisturized without being too oily. I have acne prone skin and this is the best thing I have ever used on it.

Depsea Water Facial Mist Refreshing mist that can be used anytime over the face, skin, or hair. Contains over 60 minerals to provide extra hydration, enhance skin clarity and improve skin quality.

From http://www.shuuemura-usa.com/

Depsea Watershu uemura Depsea Water“Just as we thirst for water, so too does the skin yearn for its thirst to be quenched.Spare nothing taking care of it.Give it the purest, most luscious water”- Shu Uemurashu uemura Depsea water evolution began more than eight years ago when Mr. Shu Uemura began to consider the application of deep-sea water to cosmetics, having heard the “mythical” properties of the water on the skin from common folklore – the soothing properties it has on eczema and the use of the ingredient in food and medicine. This revelation was restated when he discovered the pumping of deep-sea water in Cape Muroto, Japan. Upon touch of the water, Mr. Uemura discovered how gentle, soft and moisturizing the water felt on the skin. He immediately understood the implications it could have in a cosmetic formulation. Deep-sea water resides far below the ocean surface, where it is naturally stable, purified and enriched with vital minerals. Rarely rising above the lower ocean current in which it circulates, the mineral rich water can be found only in three locations in the world – in the coastal waters off Hawaii, Norway and Japan's Cape Muroto in Kochi Prefecture. In order to explore the potential of deep-sea water in cosmetics, Mr. Shu Uemura founded the Muroto Factory Museum in Kochi Prefecture in 1989, and shu uemura cosmetics became the first company in the world to incorporate deep-sea water into cosmetic products. Deep-sea water contains more than 60 ocean minerals to boost the natural function of the skin. Trace minerals such as lithium, magnesium, silicon, selenium, copper, zinc and calcium in deep-sea water have a high affinity with human skin and can quickly absorb to rapidly refresh and hydrate skin. Compared to surface sea water, deep-sea water has three superior characteristics: - PURITY without any deterioration from acid rain or industrial draining- RICHNESS of minerals and nutrient substance- STABILITY in low temperatureshu uemura Depsea Water – aka, “water from the depths of the sea” – is taken from the depth of the ocean where sunlight does not reach, at 320 meters. Pumped directly from the location, it is also bottled at the source, where the shu uemura manufacturing facility resides. Completely free of artificial color, natural aromatic extracts are then added to become lightly scented mists that rejuvenate and hydrate the skin, hair and body. It is also a key raw ingredient used in many of shu uemura makeup and skincare products.

Close, but no cigar...

Not sure where that statement came from but I thought it apropos because when I arrived home yesterday there was a new (used) fridge in my kitchen, all white and clean and ready to be filled! It wasn't the pink one of my dreams and my old stove was still there, but they match and are getting along very well. It was really nice to have clean slate for me to put my magnets on and get rid of some really old photos that hung on the old fridge. My fear was that I was going to come home to an avocado green fridge from the 70's. What I got is not so bad.

Day Dream Believer

I just had a wonderful day dream. Picture it now...

I get home from work, the letter we have been waiting for from USCIS regarding our adoption is there and when I walk into the kitchen these two are there to greet me. Delicious!

Weekend Recap

My back is still in some really bad pain so I didn't do much this weekend. Saturday, just hung out, went to brunch with Tim and then to Target to walk around and get some essentials (toothpaste, TP, etc.). Went home and worked on embroidering some holiday gifts. I reread the instruction book that came with my sewing machine and that was about it.

Sunday, was supposed to call this guy my landlord recommended to come and take our fridge away and get us a new one and they weren't open so no dice. I was looking forward to having a fridge that worked so I could go to the store and get some supplies and maybe bake something. I am going nuts. I haven't been able to bake in two weeks now! We stayed home and cleaned a little and watched about 5 hours of Little People Big World on TLC while I worked on holiday gifts a little more and then went to dinner. I am so tired of eating out. I have no more money to do so either. I need a fridge. I was actually thinking about bringing up the cooler from the basement and living out of that in the interim, but that is one more thing for me to trip over and have to bend down to get to. I sound like an old woman, I know. Gosh, I am all out of sorts. I set up my sewing machine and was going to thread the bobbin and get it all set up last night, but I read my book and went to bed instead.

Tonight we are going to go and see 1408 - we have free movie passes so that should be nice. Nothing like getting all freaked out in the theatre at a Steven King movie. I hope my self diagnosed "scary movie narcolepsy" doesn't kick in and I get so scared I fall asleep. That would be hilarious! I think I will be busy checking out John Cusack though, that alone will keep me awake.
Check out these cool Native American beaded scissor and needle cases I found online over the weekend. Makes me wish I would have kept up with my beadwork.

http://www.trappersden.ca/

All I Want Right Now...

My fridge is STILL not working! 2 weeks now.

Facelift

It has been about one year since I started this blog so...I gave my it a little face lift this weekend!
It was due time. I can't imagine having a color other than pink so I stayed with that theme. Hope you like it.

Bastille Day!

Bastille Day is tomorrow!
Americans have The 4th of July; the French have Bastille Day. On July 14, 1789, an outraged group of Parisians stormed the Bastille, a fortress and prison in France where prisoners of influence were held, in hopes of capturing ammunition.
Shortly thereafter, King Louis XVI and his wife Marie Antoinette took refuge in Versailles as the violent peasants pillaged and burned châteaux, and destroyed records of feudal dues; this reaction is known as the grande peur (great fear).
For the peasant class, the Bastille stood as a symbol of the hypocrisy and corruption of the aristocratic government - controlled mostly by nobility and clergy. This important event marked the entry of the popular class into the French Revolution.
The French recognize Bastille Day as the end of the monarchy and beginning of the modern republic. The lasting significance of the event was in its recognition that power could be held by ordinary citizens, not in the King or in God.
Today, Parisians celebrate this national holiday with a grand military parade up the Champs Elysées, colorful arts festivals, and raucous parties marking the holiday. Uncork a bottle of wine, pop in a Jacques Dutronc CD, and join the celebration!

Weekend is Here!

Well, I went back to the chiropractor, I didn't herniate a disk (phew), but hurt one of the muscles down there pretty bad. She said I have a bulging disk and it will heal. I need to rest it and not do things that may cause me more pain like; lifting things, doing laundry, getting in and out of my car (I know that sounds silly, but it hurts) and stuff like that. So, I am home bound for the weekend. I am supposed to have brunch on Sunday with a friend, but not sure because I have not called to confirm yet. Anyway, the week has been really nice even though BayLee is still sick and my fridge is still broken and I am running out of money to eat out with. I still have a roof over my head and things could be worse. Hey, who knows, maybe Tim and I will get the letter we have been waiting for from USCIS about the adoption. Something has got to give, right?
Anyway, have a nice weekend. I will be crafting my little heart out, working on Christmas presents and playing with my sewing machine. I am looking forward to a mellow weekend.
Stay tuned...

Getting "Back" in Action

So, I went to the chiropractor yesterday after suffering most of the day with the worst back pain I have ever had. She adjusted me and told me that I messed up my lower back pretty bad and I go back in tomorrow to look at the X-Rays with her (she wanted to make sure I don't have a herniated disc or something like that). I am so glad she is right next to my office and I can go over there for 15 minutes and not be missed.

Anyway, my fridge still has not been fixed and I am quickly running out of food money. I can't afford to go out anymore and hope that my landlord compensates me for the meals out I have had to pay for because groceries wont keep in the fridge. I never knew how inconvenient this was going to be.

Anyway, tomorrow is Friday and no big plans for the weekend except Tim playing tennis so I am excited to get some crafting done.

Stay tuned...

Crabby

Something has got to be off kilter with the planet, or it may be just me. My refrigerator has been broken for 1 1/2 weeks now, BayLee has been sick and I did something to my back.

We took BayLee to the specialist yesterday and this is what happened...

He didn’t need the rhinoscopy! Saved me some $$$ for sure. The Dr. was awesome and knew exactly what it was. He has chronic rhinitis, basically a stuffed kitty nose and sinus congestion. It stems from a herpes virus that he carries. I told the Dr. about his eyes having herpes and he knew right then and there what it was. He recommended some baby nose decongestant from Walgreens and took a culture just to be safe and also put him on a major antibiotic and also told me to put l-lysine in his food. It was well worth the trip to Walnut Creek; we were very relieved and are just trying to nurse him back to health. He still sounds awful, but should be coming around soon (I hope).

The rest of the day yesterday was pretty boring for a birthday. After we got home from the vet I took a nap since my back was killing me and Tim woke me up at about 6:30, he was worried I wouldn't sleep at night if I kept sleeping. I ordered Thai food for us for dinner and we ate it watching a True Hollywood Story on Serial Killers. They profiled the Oakland County child killer which creeped me out since I grew up there and remember all of the hub bub when I was a kid. Very scary stuff. They also did a long piece on the BTK killer - it was really freaky to hear him in the court room telling what he did to people with no emotion at all. It was really interesting and scary at the same time.

Anyway, that was my day yesterday. I thought today may be better, but my back is worse and I am having trouble getting things done because of it. OK, enough crabbing for me. I will suck it up!

Birthday No. 33

Today is #33 for me! I am at work for a 1/2 day and then leaving at noon to take BayLee to the specialist. He has to have a rhinoscopy (scope in the nose) due to his chronic stuffy nose that nothing is working to cure. On top of that I sneezed this morning and did something to my back, really bad pain in the front too but I am dealing with it. Nothing feels old like sneezing your back out of whack! Happy Birthday to me.

I think I might have to have a redo of my Birthday next month or something because today is not really the day I want to have my Birthday. I guess that is what I get for having expectations.

One more day...

It is Friday! I made it!

Yesterday was awful. Poor little BayLee has been sick with a really bad case of the sniffles, I mean it is so bad he sounds like he is snoring when he is awake. He is a cat, not a pug! I stayed home until 9 AM yesterday to see if I could get him in to see a doctor. I have been calling the vet over the last week and they have been telling me that it will clear and sounds like a cold. I had it though and was worried so when I called as luck may have it, they had a 10 AM cancellation so I took him in. Poor thing cried all the way in the car and was completely silent when we got there. The vet looked at him and everything seemed healthy and normal about him except for his nasal congestion. They took some blood and tried to aspirate his nose to no avail. I am waiting to hear back on the blood test, I am not sure what they will show, but I said "do what you think is right" to the vet. He is supposed to call me back today. We went home with some antibiotics (liquid) and have to give it 2-3 days to clear and if it doesn't then we have to take him to a specialist so they can take a scope and check out his nasal area and see if there is a polyp in there that needs to be removed. The one good thing is, he is young, still eating and drinking and playing and talking. I just pray that the antibiotics will work. They have to sedate him if they do the scope and he already is having trouble breathing so I don't even want to think about that until we get there, if we have to go there.

On a good note, Tim's sister came into town with her boyfriend Barry and we hung out and went out to eat last night at the Lotus Garden. I love Sandra, she is really cool and likes to laugh and have a good time. Who wouldn't like someone like that? We had a really nice dinner and chatted it up and then went back home and took some photos and then they went back to their hotel and Tim and I went to bed with BayLee. BayLee was so loud breathing, I had to wear earplugs in order to sleep, it is really sad. Tim already called me this morning worried about him. All we can do is have faith that he will get better and not get too far ahead of ourselves.

I took these photos yesterday when I went to pick up Tim from work, you can tell it was a gorgeous day!

Hump Day

Wednesday, mid point of the week. July 4th and I am at work dreaming of baking in my kitchen or crafting something. It is hard because Tim has every single holiday off and I always have to work. I could use the money though, so that is the one postive thing out of the deal.
Nothing exciting this week. Yoga studio schedule has been a little off due to the holiday, I hope to get over there tomorrrow and take a class.
My parents are in Washington D.C., my Dad is attending a Khe-Sanh vets reunion, so they are probably having a good time with old buddies, etc. I can imagine it will be a little intense as well, seeing the memorial wall for the first time and my Mom seeing Steve's name on it. I hope they take a lot of photos.
I miss hanging out with family on holiday's, firing up the grill in the backyard and listening to baseball or music. Those were the days.
Tim and I are thinking more and more about getting out of the city so we can have more space and so we can do more at home. It would be nice to have a backyard or even a deck to hang out and BBQ on. We have a backyard (tiny and overgrown) so it is not the same. We just have to sit tight and wait until the adoption is complete since it would be a hassle to change our paperwork as it is already sitting waiting at the USCIS office. Until then, we will keep our heads down and save money.

Summertime

This past weekend was my official kickoff to summer. We went to the Napa County Fair. It was really small but old school at the same time and had all of the kitch we could ask for. It was nice and sunny and more importantly, there were pig races! Wendy's pig won too! No, not her REAL pig, just the one that she bet on.

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