Lack of memory

Last night, as we were going to bed, Kerry and I had a funny conversation. I even said I needed a recorder to record all our conversations because I can never remember what we said, just that it was funny. Sure enough, neither one remember what it was. But it was funny.
We had a great, delicious Early Thanksgiving Dinner and then I stayed up to watch Erin Brockovich, I was so tired that I had to stand up for the last 15 minutes of the movie so that I won't fall asleep.


I must thank Mr. Google and his handy maps. I don't know how anyone travelled before the internet was invented. I know we might not get to see everything I want to see and that the shopping stuff can wait until a Girls' Shopping Trip, but if I'm that close to a scrapbooking store, or a Target, or Victoria's Secret, or Borders, then I am going there. I had to re-vamp my list so that I could actually read it. I have about 50 things I want to look for, or buy, and everyone else has about 3-5 things they want to look for.

Kerry's mom came over for dinner, crock pot chili and WW buscuits. and the run-down of 'a day in the life of the Williams' dogs'. I'm a bit nervous about that but I'm sure they will survive.

I'm patiently waiting for Desperate Housewives to start.

Early Thanksgiving

Because we will be away for Thanksgiving(we're going to Disneyland this week, in case you didn't know), Mom is doing Dinner tonight. We have probably in all our years together, never ever missed a Thanksgiving Dinner at Grandpa's. So it might be hard on us on the Big Turkey Day but I'm sure Mickey, Minnie or Target will help us deal with it.

And because Shaun's birthday is on the 7th and Jenn's was this week, they are celebrating their birthday's together by going out with friends. So there's an empty seat at Mom's table and she invited Tara. Grandpa's coming too. Ask me tomorrow if Tara is still talking to me after meeting my family!

Kerry and Linus are getting rested up for the big night on the recliner we bought off my aunt and uncle. It's not the prettiest thing, but we needed something in the basement and it was cheap and comfy, as you can see from the picture.

Playing Puppies and Pie

I was kind of grumpy yesterday but today I'm feeling much better. I think it's work stress (no really, it's stressful), trip planning, puppy training and UPS scams.

Anyway, pie makes me feel better. And not just any pie, Tara made her first apple pies and she brought over a whole big pie, not just a jumbo tart. The crust was flakey, the apples just right, not too sweet, not to mushy, not to chunky, it was delicious. We had pie with ice cream and iced caps while the dogs played. They all kind of do their own thing, chewing, sniffing, ball chasing and Tara-biting, but once in awhile Linus and Harley will wrestle and chase each other around, and Harley and Sally will get in a huge all out dog fight. It tires everyone out and thatches the grass.

Sally wants nothing to do with Harley and spends most of her time behind me talking under her breath.

Harley is showing Linus how drink out of the bucket so that no one else will want to drink out of it after him.

Linus is trying to ambush Harley but he's too slow. I mean, jeez dog, move faster if you are going to pop out of the bushes and scare someone. I love the ears in the jump shot.

The dirt patch is where the pool was, we are thinking of putting up ropes and selling tickets to our back yard dog fights. No dogs were hurt during the filming of this video.

UPS Rant, a full moon and lack of diet coke

Yeah!!! Tara and I ordered a huge amount of coils for our Bind-It-Alls.
Yeah!!! They came today neat and tidy in boxes.
Yeah!!! Lani told me they were here and I picked them up after Doggy School.
Yeah!!! I could lift the box without help.
Yeah!!! Duty was under $6.00

Boo!!! UPS.
Boo!!! To brokerage fees over $40.
Boo!!! To the major money grabbing of UPS.

What's the fee for?
Why is it almost 30% of the total value for brokerage?
Who thinks that it's okay to fleece Canadians for shopping in the US?
Does that pay for those cute Brown trucks? Because right now I'm thinking they can collectively drive those Brown trucks into a wall.
The only happy thought I have about it is that we still got them about 50% cheaper than if we had bought them locally. I will keep telling myself that.

Today, everyone and everything else was more interesting than me and my handfuls of treats at Doggy School. I figured out that it's a full moon and that's probably why Linus was a jerk. But he'll get his...I got a Halti and he won't know what hit him.

No amount of Crystal Lite will make up for my lack of Diet Coke. It could be this or the full moon or brokerage fees that is making me grumpy. I better get happy before my stampers come tonight or they probably won't come back!

And in an effort to try to get out of this grumpy funk I'm in, I'll post some pictures.

The Halloween cards are for a class, and yes, I did use contraband products in an effort to broaden my horizons.

The fall cards are for my Stamper's Groups. We're celebrating glitter and different techniques to get the bling. Check out the aperture setting trick, I was trying to get the blur going on.

The other cards are from my 12x12 One Sheet Wonder class.

teeheeeheee.

My camera eyes would have come in handy today when Linus jumped straight up without touching her and grabbed the hood of Tara's hoodie and clothes lined her with it. Not that I'm laughing, but it was kind of funny after I got over the initial shock of how bad my puppy wants to eat her.

Oh, how I wish I had those eyes.

Jedi Jesus

I found this picture of Kelowna's very own Jedi while surfing the net. We see him around town on his interesting bike quite often and when we mention it to others, they call him the same thing. Jedi Jesus, Jesus Jedi, he's got to be the only Jedi in Kelowna that actually goes out in public in his Jedi clothes. I'm sure there are closet Jedis.

He's obviously strange, but oddly enough, he makes me smile. He's got his own style, he's not afraid to show it. I've never seen him pull any Jedi stuff on anyone, let alone talk to anyone, but it's good to know that we have a Jedi among us, just in case.

Time

It took me awhile (a long time) to get this baby finished, well, actually, it took awhile to get it started. Tara with her wonderful computer skills made and cut the pages for me weeks ago and I needed inspiration to actually get the little book together. After seeing her address book, I decided to get mine started yesterday, and the fact that she kept threatening me helped too. The thing is, it took me all day to make it. Like she said, the hard part was done by her, but I had major interruptions all day. Financial advisor stuff, kid stuff, trip stuff, dog stuff. And if I had known there are detailed instructions on how to line up my Bind-It-All for larger books, I would have used them. Regardless of my lame lining up skills, I love my BIA!!!

I'm so excited that our big box of O-Wires is on it's way, I can't wait!!! Hurry up and get here. And my Target stamps, did I already mention that? I hope they come today!!! (Speed time up!)

I can see a trip to the dr. for Valium in my near future. This trip is causing some issues for me, (not enough time to plan? too much time?). The biggest being the fact we aren't sitting together in on the flight from Seattle to Anaheim but there's nothing I can do about it at this time, according to the travel agent and the Horizon agent. Then there's the "Do I buy a whack of groceries for Grandma, our house/dog sitter?", "The puppy isn't going to get any training, or exercise and will be a holy terror for Grandma, will I be able to have fun if I am worrying about them?", "What if my BIA wires come well I am away and Grandma has to pay duty?", and these are just the little things running through my head. Let's not forget the big things...I've seen Lost, I know what can happen on a big airplane trip. Why can't we fly on separate planes like Prince Charles and the boys?

Shaun says someone moved his car while he was in class the other day, like took it for a joy-ride and brought it back before he was out of class, but parked it in a different spot. We aren't sure what to make of this, it's just weird. We will find out for sure what happened when OC security views their video surveillance.

And regarding Tara's blog post...I like to think of it as opening her eyes to a whole new world, a world full of yummy treats. And Linus does have some wicked skills although they aren't all scrapbooking related. He finds it hard without opposable thumbs.

Arg...I was busy swabbin' me decks...

Did you know that September 19th is National Talk Like A Pirate Day? If I had known, I would have done something about it.

My pirate name is:

Calico Prudentilla Cash

Often indecisive, you can't even choose a favorite color. You're apt to follow wherever the wind blows you, just like Calico Jack Rackham, your namesake. You're musical, and you've got a certain style if not flair. You'll do just fine. Arr!

Get your own pirate name from piratequiz.com.
part of the fidius.org network

Frugality at it's best

I figured we better get the furnace up and running so that when our house sitter is here, she doesn't freeze to death. I always joke that I'm not turning it on until Oct. 1st. It's warmer when I get up at 7 than it is when Kerry gets up between 4:30 and 5, and he has less body fat so my Oct. 1st usually turns into a mid-Sept. I say "dress warmer".

Anyway, long story short, I have been up since 7 am and it's 9 am now and have already baked a pumpkin loaf, 2 batches of cookie bars, showered, had my coffee, got Emily off to school, did puppy school homework with Linus and Sally, ate breakfast, tidied up a bit, did dishes, read 2 chapters of a James Patterson book, organized my pantry, drank 1.5 litres of water, and checked my email. All because I thought baking would heat the house up.

I also figured that by doing all that stuff early, I earned the right to sit on my butt and scrapbook until the kids get home.

Other news...

-Shaun never makes anything to eat now that he's in Culinary Arts. This sucks.

-Emily squawked because I 'made' her take a second year of keyboard lessons, but she's a freakin' natural at it and I think it would be a shame if she didn't give it a couple of years. As much as she 'doesn't like' it, she does enjoy it when a song comes together. Although she doesn't like it when I recognize the song and decide to do a duet with her. This usually results in her saying "I'm not playing anymore if you keep making that noise you call singing". And then I run to my room in tears.

-Kerry took yesterday off to 'plan' our trip. We did get some trip stuff done, but we also...

1. Bought more bags of individually packaged Candy Corn from Walmart, it's really good.

2. Fixed our weatherstripping on the side door, Linus pulled it off. Which was okay because it needed to be done.

3. Picked up our trip info from Sears, and had a few 'rude' awakenings about our trip, this could be the reason the agent that originally booked us is no longer there.

4. Bought new sheets for Shaun.

5. Went to Genji's for lunch. Again, that place has it in for me and my patience (or lack of patience). It took about 15 minutes before anyone acknowledged were were there, no drinks, just menus. It was so bad that it was Kerry, not me, that said "how much longer do we wait before we leave?" But once we were discovered we did get great service. The food is weird, the first time I was not impressed at all. But I've had traditional Japanese food oh, all my life so this fusion thing was lost on me. Now, I get it, and it's I'm still not impressed. I still don't think Donburi chicken should have cheese in it, nor should sushi have cream cheese in it or a Thousand Island like dressing on top of it. I tried to explain it to Kerry using Leftsa and something else like spaghetti sauce instead of the usual butter they put on it and he agreed that his mom wouldn't like to see that, but if it tasted good, then who cares? Which I guess is the okay, but it's almost sacrilegious to me. He went back to eating his Bacon Coconut Curry dish in a tomato tortilla shell bowl. (Seriously, who thinks of these freaky combos?)

And because 'they' say people like pictures on blogs, here's Linus and his buddy, Kerry at the dog beach. Kerry is saying "Give me a kiss". He really is. Linus is saying "Piss off Man, I'm getting my picture taken!"

Today's Rant

Reason #137 why Shaun should get his own computer...

Okay, I've got some mojo and I'm brainstorming at an early time of day. I want to print some pictures of me and Mr. Linus for a layout/mini book on our/my obedience training. So I am in Adobe PS7 trying to find a nice grungy border for my picture that I have doctored a bit and BAM...a message pops up saying I have very little/no space left on my computer. This is the 3rd time getting this message in about a month's time. I have already defrag'd, un-installed and all the other things I can do to get more space. I have so little I couldn't even put the grungy thing on my photo!!!

So I check out my list of 'things' that are on the computer. This is a family computer, we use it to print and photoshop photos, contact people, waste time and play games. Ah...there's the thing...play games. I think PS7 is a big program, I don't really know if it is or not, I base my knowledge on the fact that I can't figure out how to use it without a manual therefore it must be a big program. But these "games", they are freakin' HUGE.

Here's my math lesson for today...
Halo...1445 MB
Ragnorok...3776 MB
The Sims...4104 MB
World of Warcraft...5348 MB
Adobe PS7...136 MB

Hellllloooo...136 MB compared to 14,673 MB of GAMES!!! I can't use a grungy border but some kid can battle against another kid in Turkey or where ever with imaginary creatures and not have any lag time? I don't get it. I just don't get it.

A little book

This was yesterday's class and these are a few pictures from my book. Everyone got to pick their own paper. I decided to make another one using SU's Apple Cider designer paper, coasters, and my Bind-It-All. I am going to give it to Harley so he can reminisce over the winter about the fun he had at the dog beach with Yellow Dog.

I got the notification today that the big box of Bind-It-All coils is on it's way! I'm very excited about it, even if I have to pay duty, I'm still glad to get them. There's a new rule at our house: If it doesn't move, bind it.

Nothing to report...

Not much to say.
I have a class this afternoon, the Christmas Memories coaster album, which I am offering different papers for so that people can do the album for other things, not just Christmas.
I am printing off maps for when we go to Disneyland. Did I mention we are going in less than 3 weeks? I have the important places, the hotel, book stores, Walmart, Target, Joann's, bike stores, Victoria's Secret, what else do I need?
I've made my list of things I must look for...Target's Dollar Spot and the great stamps(the ones Della didn't buy me) and scrapbook supplies everyone else finds there, new scrapbook books, like Ali Edwards(which I hope is out by then), Designing with Details, and whatever else I can remember to write down. I have finally found a worthy reason to write in one of my little Bind-It-All notebooks I made.
If you can think of anything else I NEED to get from the States, please let me know. And if you need anything, let me know too, if I haven't spent my limit, I'll try to find it.

Why? Part 2

So maybe I'm still thinking about where my SU order is. I did get my pages prepped for tonight so I can think about it now. I actually thought that if I started cutting other paper for them, Lani would pull up. It didn't work, the theory does work but just not this time. You know what I mean, like when you are waiting and waiting for someone to come over and then you think you'll just run to the bathroom before they get here and before you can finish, they are in your driveway honking their horn, wondering why you aren't ready and you have to rush to get things done.

If you want to hear something funny, call 411, get the recorded lady to read the list of Couriers in Kelowna. A C E Queeriors, or the Ups Store or Ups Canada, instead of UPS is really funny and almost makes up for the fact my order didn't come and I can't find the phone number for the Queerior Service.

And Disneyland is a go, Shaun found out that missing 4 days is acceptable.

Why?

Why is it that after years of getting my Stampin' Up orders exactly 7 days from the day I ordered that the one time I NEED my order to be here, the courier gods decide that this is the one time that they will not deliver on time? I'm trying not to dwell on it, I know the whole "Secret" ideal and I know that focusing on the fact that my stuff isn't here isn't going to bring it to me. I know this.
But I can't help it. I want my stuff. I want it now. I want it five minutes ago.
Why does the UPS site say it was in Richmond yesterday and not in Kelownan today?
Why hasn't UPS updated the site?
Why can't I find the name of the delivery service to call and make sure it's in Lani's van right now and she's just having lunch and will be here any minute?
Why is this so important?
Um, because I procrastinated, left my class prep to the last minute and then decided wanted to use some of my new SU paper to do the layout for my classes this week and that according to years of study my order should be here.
So technically it's all my fault. Waaaahhhhhh!!!!
I'm so stubborn, I'm waiting to the last minute to prep for my class using other paper because, darn it, my new paper is coming, I just know it.
But if I start to focus on some other paper maybe, just maybe, my new order will come and all will be right in my world again.

Moment of Clarity?

So last night, Kerry and I were discussing finances. The car needs some work, the dog starts obedience this week, school fees, college fees, and all that fun stuff. Then I say "Have you saved anything for Disneyland?" and he says "No, I'm not in charge of finances." So I guess that means I am. Well, wake up call! I haven't saved anything either, so there! That will teach someone.

And I am wondering, not complaining, just wondering, for how long my college attending kid will call me every day to tell me he is finished and on his way home like he has done for the past week. He's saying weird things lately, like...
"I know that parents care about their kids and that's why they tell them to come home at certain times, and ask where they are going and who they are with."
And because at this age some of his friends have different family lives, and he's seeing more of it, he seems to be appreciating the freedom and boundries we have in place in our family. I think we'll keep him.

Matching Wristlet

I helped my mom make a 'wristlet'. It matches my purse. I'm going to make her make these to sell at the craft sale. Emily got one too.

The Better Butter Chicken

This is from Eat, Shrink and Be Merry.

The Better Butter Chicken
2 tbsp butter
1 c. chopped onion
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp grated ginger
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground tumeric
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 can(19 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1 whole cooked rotissierie chicken, skin removed, meat cut up(I used 6 chicken breasts)
1/3 c. light (5%) cream( I 1% milk)
1/4 c. light sour cream
1 tbsp minced fresh cilantro, I used more
Hot basmati rice ( I used sticky Japanese rice)

Melt butter in a deep, 10 " skillet over med. heat. Add onions and garlick. Cook slowly, stirring often, until onions are tender, about 5 min. Add gingerroot, chili powder, tumeric,and cinnamon. Cook 1 more minute. Add undrained tomatoes, paste, sugar, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 10 min. stirring occasionally.
Add chicken, cream, and sour cream. Simmer uncovered for 5 min. Remove from heat, stir in cilantro. Serve over rice.

Pump me up!

I am getting a big head. Thanks Tara.

http://harleysmom.typepad.com/little_things/2007/09/something.html#comments

So I made Better Butter Chicken last night out of the Eat, Shrink and Be Merry cookbook. I love that book. I'd never made or eaten butter chicken so I didn't really know what to expect. I also made naan from scratch. I figured if my family is going down, might as well take someone with us so I invited Tara to dinner and a night of scrap booking. I must say I out did myself, except for the fact everything was done cooking at different times, everything turned out delicious. (I ate if for breakfast too.) I will definitely be making this again. My mom pointed out that they didn't get an invite and that they would like to try some Indian food. She also pointed out that it was a very ethnic dinner, Caesar salad, Naan, Butter Chicken, Grandpa's Japanese beans, and Chocolate Chip Banana bread and Iced Caps afterwards.

I didn't have an overly productive night, but Tara did, she made a very cute Something album featuring Harley, her dog. I must remember to try the Heidi Swapp letters on chipboard and paint them. At Tara's urging, I made this super cute, very little box. It holds 3x3 gift cards.

And through the crafting grapevine, I have heard, but haven't seen it done yet, that you can use your Michaels coupon on Martha stuff. Hmmm...do you think they realized no one was buying the overpriced stuff?

Does anyone know why I can't always post on other blogs? It seems to be Typepad blogs.

Just a little Something

I started Cathy Z's It's Always Something Album (you can find the templates on her blog) last week at Tara's house, I used half an SU Simply Scrappin' kit. I don't go out to scrapbook much, or ever. And when she asked I went and I got a lot accomplished. I came home with this album about half finished, and some pages all neat and trimmed and ready to make an address book. It amazes me how much stuff I got done! Thanks for cutting, TB.

I still have to do the journaling, but for me that's always last, if it ever gets done. I can write novels here, but can't put words together to journal in my scrapbooks.

I used Tara's Snow Burst set to stamp my vanilla scrap and then came home and embossed the piece with Irridescent Ice powder and made 3 cards out of it. I love this technique and how I managed to capture the sparkle in the picture.

I'm off to get re-aligned today. I feel like I need it. While I'm gone, I am hoping the clean-up fairies come and tidy up my scrapping table for later.

Sad side note, Kerry and Shaun filled out the student loan forms overzealously and there's no loan coming. AND this one gets my goat!!!...Shaun says if he misses 3 days in his year long course, he fails and therefore can't go to Disneyland. He's supposed to find out if there is any truth to this today, because personally, I think he misunderstood, or had cotton in his ears. I have my fingers crosssed that it's the latter.

Are you up to a challenge?

It seems like I am the only one that has kept up the blogging this summer, I mean, I know Fern T, Cathy Z and Ali E have but what about the locals?
I am getting tired of going down my list of favourite blogs only to find that none of you did anything truly blog worthy this summer or maybe it's that I don't have much of a life and am sitting in front of the computer more than everyone else. No, that's can't be the reason.
Anyway, I am challenging you, my local friends, you know who you are, get blogging, even if it's a paragraph about how you have nothing to say. Document it, record it, take pictures of it, scrapbook it. Just do it! Do it for me!

And if you let me know, I'll send the first updater a little sumthin sumthin.

Shoes and Bread

Meet my new shoe, I did get two of them. They were on sale, I think 1/2 price at Cadence Shoes downtown. They are Keen's and so darn cute and comfy. In the picture they look black but really they are a dark charcoal. Tara helped me pick them out, she had some very good shoe shopping tips, hmmmm...I wonder how she knows so much about shoes! Then we went to Opus and I got the best deal ever on sketch pads for Emily, so I bought a bunch for Christmas.
And then we went for lunch at the Bread Company. I will have to take Kerry and the kids back there, it's carb heaven. I did bring home treats for my peeps too, cinnamon pretzels for the boys and a ham and cheese croisant for Emily. Here's the info, I didn't even know the place excisted, it's right beside Starbucks. http://www.thebreadcompany.ca/home/index.html

I stopped at Buckerfields for a Kong on a Rope for the pup, which had for all of 10 minutes before shredding the rope. It's definately a beach only toy. So now he's making do with the regular Kong and it's peanut butter remnants.

Then I picked E. up from school and she declared it the best day ever because she won a backpack full of school supplies during an assembly today.

Shoes on sale, good treats, backpack full of stuff, pleasant company, coffee, good day, nuff said.

Collaboration Purse

I'm not a purse girl. I don't think I had more than one at a time. I had one of those 'leather' slouchy bags in the 80s. I had a mini-backpack in the 90s and now I have a grubby looking canvas MEC tote, that is practical and I do like it. But it's not the right colour, it shows the dirt like crazy.

I have wanted a serious purse, but still a cute purse. Maybe one that makes a statement, or one that goes with an outfit or all outfits, whether I am dressed up or down. I really like the purses, and it's not 4 purses/totes that Tara has but I said I'm not paying that much for something my Mom can make.

So I take my Mom to the store in search of the perfect fabric, Amy Butler fabric to be precise and as soon as I saw it I knew it must be mine. But the price...ouch. I shelled it out anyway because I was stepping up in the world. After much measuring and explaining to Mom about what I wanted, Tara borrowed us her empty bag and Mom was very impressed. It took her most of today to make it and when we went for dinner, a delicious Seafood Chowder, she had my most beautifulist purse hanging on the railing for me.

I absolutively love it. It's me! It's mine and I 'made' it! Not really, but I dreamed it, and with lots of help it got made. It's Mom's prototype because I have told her she must sell them. The flap will be different, there are a few quirks she wants to work out but I think she could do it.

It is large, has pockets inside and hangs across the body. It will hold my camera, and Mom figures, get this, it will hold a 12x12 album.

Just incase you want it, she's not sharing the pattern. If you missed it above, she's planning on selling the finished bags.

She might even start making Hobo Spider bags, if she can figure out what they are.

If you give a kid a camera...

You will get some interesting shoots like those of a gross, disgusting bottom feeder type fish, a snotty dog nose and some resting ducks and their turtle friends. I quite like the snot nose dog one, it's very clear, the background is blurry and although it doesn't follow the rule of thirds, I think we should frame it.

Getting too old

Is it possible to be hung over from a late night scrappin' bender? I didn't drink a drop of alcohol, but I feel so drained today. I think maybe it was because someone sucked out my crafty mojo!