meg's garden: Family & Home

I need to jot that down...

Mon, 12 May 2008 23:25:46 GMT

For Today, May 12th...

Outside My Window...

I see shimmers of heat rising from the pavement beyond the leafy shade of our front yard

I am thinking...

about the conversations I had with my grown-and –gone children yesterday, how different each of them are & the challenges they face as they make their own way

I am thankful for...

my young knight-still-at-home, a thoughtful & loving soul, who took on all the “Mother’s Day” responsibilities with a grin

From the kitchen...

comes a special treat~ fresh crab off the boat last night, along with the first squash of the season

I am wearing...

a black/brown/mocha paisley skirt, Battenberg lace trimmed knit top, & brown leather slides

I am creating...

a couple reusable shopping bags from my stash of fabric, meant for an up coming Ravelry swap

I am going...

to head back to the gym this week, even though my injuries are still a bit troublesome; my weight is creeping up despite being diligent about my diet- I have to get moving again, even if it means living with the pain.

I am reading...

the latest Victoria magazine (I am so thankful it’s back) & an historical mystery about Elizabeth I called “The Poyson Garden” by Karen Harper

I am hoping...

that Chris makes it home without a cold after the schizophrenic weather in Colorado

I am hearing...

the growl of the lawnmower as Sam cleans up the backyard & the hum of the ceiling fan that seems to be a bit off balanced!

Around the house...

the A/C filter still needs changing & the curtains washing, but mostly there is peace & comfort to welcome the traveler home

One of my favorite things...

a visit to Cold Stone Creamery~ the creations we come up with J

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week:

It’s time for another haircut (though my stylist has left & didn’t tell me where she was going L), taking a half-day on Wednesday to actually fix dinner for Chris’ return, & a day at the Livermore Highland Games on Saturday (though no dancing this year- oh well)

Here is picture thought I am sharing.

My nifty new tote from Tar*get; several ladies had something similar at the last scrapbook workshop, but this is so me!

Please drop by Peggy’s blog, “The Simple Woman”, to join (or just read along) the other ladies as they take a snapshot of their day & focus on the simple things.

Getting over a case of the lazies...

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 06:40:11 GMT

Yes, I know~ I've shown a decided lack of blog content recently. I blame it on a combination of the dregs from the 'flu (& accompanying opportunistic maladies like a UTI & the return of the underarm yeastie beast) & the siren call of spring-like weather. Sunday, I actually did not turn on my computer at all (an almost unheard of event in our household, particularly since I started blogging).

Mother did make out here on Wednesday for lunch & arrived only 15 minutes late :-) She is in one of her transitional periods (you might remember that she is bi-polar), & despite the stress of another remodel going on at their house, she was focused & stayed on topic (mostly). We had a pleasant lunch at a nearby Thai restaurant, catching up on family news, & she only landed two surprises. You see, she tends to forget to tell me things- not intentionally of course- she just thinks she must have already told me about “X”, since I’m the oldest (even though I’m the second oldest- whatever- you get use to it)

Anyway, we were talking about recent birthdays (there are 14 family b-days in February), forwarded emails & who got what recent pictures, when she mentioned in passing that they had “finally received Rose’s ashes, but too late to include with the others, but that’s alright, I have something else in mind for her design...” Thinking that I had possibly tuned out at a crucial juncture in the flow of word (not unheard of), I interrupted Mother;

“Uh, Rose’s ashes?”

Rose is my stepfather’s mother, & last I had heard, she was living in a Russian/Jewish nursing home in Southern California, driving everyone bonkers.

“Yes, Rose- now, I know I told you!”

“No, Mom, you didn’t- I think I would remember being told my last grandparent died.”

“Well, I’m certain I did- you probably just forgot during all the excitement around the wedding.” (my brother’s wedding 7 months ago)

“When did she die?”

“Oh, about 18 months ago, I think- maybe 2 years.”

*Sigh* So much for lucid.

So, the conversational freight train barreled on, as I digested this bit of news, when another ball comes flying in from left field;

“Sam didn’t mention it in his email- did he get his container of ashes?”

“Um, noooo- I don’t remember anything like that in the envelope.”

“It’s in a glass cylinder, hung on a cord...”

“OMG~ is that what it was?!”

“Didn’t I include the pictures of your grandparents?” (There were two photos of them at their 50th wedding anniversary party, 23 years ago- but no note)

“Yes, you did; but exactly how was I supposed to make that connection?”

You see, in the envelope, there was a glass ball, about the size of a shooter marble, with swirls of silver & bronze inside, flecked with white. It’s hung on two strands of silken cording & Sam has been walking around with it on his key ring. Everyone has spent the past month looking at it, trying to figure out the design & purpose. Turns out, it is a piece of art glass made by friends of my sister, & contains the ashes of my Mother’s parents, Moss & Doss, who died in 1988 & 2004, respectively.

When I told Sam that he’s been walking around with his great-grandparents ashes on his key chain, he looked at me like my trolley had just jumped the track, shook his head, & said,

“I should have known it was something creepy like that- your Mom is whacked.”

Yes, Son, I know.

[BTW- it is now hanging next to the hummingbird wind chimes in my kitchen window, where they can look out on my vegetable garden & watch to cats play tag in the little patch of lawn; I think they would like it, since Moss loved to grow things (particularly morning glories, squash, & okra) & they always had at least 2 Siamese cats in residence.]

Whew!

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 18:14:18 GMT

Presenting:

Sensei Graham!

The symbols on the right represent his life motto "Fight, Love, Live"

(Fight for a just cause, Love your fellow man, Live a good life)

and his element, Wind;

the symbols on the left are the Japanese characters for his title.

Way to go, Sonic!

(the new buzz-cut hairdo )

Hogmanay

Tue, 01 Jan 2008 21:04:09 GMT

A guid New Year to ane an' a' and mony may ye see!

Here is a traditional New Year’s toast to greet my friends & welcome you to the adventures of the next twelve months. Sentiment runs high thru Blogland this time of year, but I would like to add my own simple & sincere thanks to the old friends who have shared this journey with me, & to the new friends who I have been privileged to meet along the way. No one knows what is in store for us in 2008, but I am glad to know that I have you, my friends, to turn to no matter what the wind blows into our lives.

Blessings.

Meg

Good News

Tue, 25 Dec 2007 19:12:33 GMT

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder. And His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6 (21st Century King James Version)

Giving it up- kindness, that is

Tue, 18 Dec 2007 23:21:02 GMT

There is a lovely trend flowing through Blogland these days; people are looking for ways to spread comfort & cheer to others, & I've been fortunate enough to be included.

First of all, through my friend Mrs. Stagg at A Happy Miscellany I met Junie Moon; Junie has formed "Junie Moon's Bandage Brigade" with the expressed purpose of knitting (or crocheting) bandages for leprosy patients in Africa & Vietnam. Drop by her blog & check out some of the links; it is so sad how dreadfully these people are mistreated & abandoned by all but the kindest of hearts. Please consider breaking out your rusty needles to knit a strip of comfort.

Then, I dropped by Guinevere's this afternoon & she is joining in "Pay it Forward"- here's what she wrote:

"Ok. Here's how it works:

The first three to leave me a comment wanting to be a part of this 'Pay It Forward' project will receive a small gift from me in the mail...maybe even in time for Christmas!

The only catch is you have to Pay It Forward, meaning you post this same information on your own blog and do what I'm doing.

Thanks, Becca, for letting me in on a very cool idea!

So, Pay It Forward!"

So, if you would like to receive a little something from the Garden (I will send you a message to get your mailing address) & are willing to return the favor to your visitors, be one of the first three to say "Me, please!" & I'll hop right on it...after Christmas

Addendum 11:18 pm-

Good Grief! There are days I would like to hang up my apron & turn in my "Mother" badge. I just got off the phone with Robb, my oldest child, who gave me "Skydiving News" [what we call it when he does something he knows I think is dangerous &/or insane, & tells me about it afterwards- like skydiving- which he has done :-S ] He broke his left clavicle Sunday night & figured he'd better tell me before someone else did. He had just finished a test run at the track [have I mentioned that he drag races motorcycles? No? Well, he drag races motorcycles- yes, you are actually seeing my hair turn white as I type] & was pulling into the pits when he has clipped by a truck pulling in off an access road. The good news is that he was at the track, so he was in full protective gear & there were paramedics on site; thanks to the gear, he only suffered a sprained ankle & the broken collarbone.

Physically he is fine, though frustrated with having to moderate his activities & accept help for the time being; he is just worried about whether he'll be able to work while he heals. The doctor has approved light duty, so Robb is going in tomorrow to see if they will be able to accomodate him; if not, he have to go on disability for a few weeks (4 to 6) & make up the difference with his savings. Normally, that would be fine, but he has just registered for classes at UCF & needs to pay his tuition & books in the next couple of weeks. If he can't keep working, he'll have to wait another semester or two to go back- something he rather not put off again.

Please hold him up in prayer, that not only that he would heal quickly & suffer less pain (he was very uncomfortable tonight), but that he would find favor with his employer & would be able to continue working.

Big Family Party

Sat, 08 Dec 2007 07:13:04 GMT

Okay~ I figure if I take one thing at a time, I may be able to bring you all up to speed on the roller coaster ride that is my life

This has been a big year for the B family. As I mentioned in January, my mother & step-dad marked the 40th anniversary of their marriage; it was a non-event, not even a dinner out. Within the next 10 weeks, they each reached their 70th birthdays; another a non-event for the masters of denial (Mother will still only admit to being "near 50"- & she has three adult grandchildren ) Of course, you remember that in July, their oldest child, my brother D, married his lovely bride W, in Whistler, British Colombia attended by immediate family & a few friends. And then in September, their youngest child, my "baby" brother B, passed his 30th birthday & entered adulthood (at least by this family's standards) by moving out on his own.

My sister, H, has been here from Kauai since September, working "the harvests" up north to earn money to live on for the next couple of years. She was heading back December 1st, so our parents decided it was time to celebrate the "Big Year" & threw a big party. It was an Open House, that lasted more then 8 hours; people I haven't seen in years wandered through, sharing stories, pictures, & lots of wine.

Celebration Cake- Lemon, Carrot Cake, Chocolate, & Raspberry

Mother & M congratulate each other for no felony convictions

Setting out the spread (Salmon, Veggie & Humus, Antipasta, Bruchetta, Pasta Salad)

Sushi Selections

Sister H, Mother, Aunt E, & honorary auntie G

Yes, it is really me

My Guys, making plans

It's pretty late at this point- we're all looking stunned

The B Family Kids: L to R- David, Wendy, Ben, Holly, Angie (Ben's GF) & Big Sis meg

And finally, the view caught on the way home

As promised... Homecoming 2007

Sat, 20 Oct 2007 00:08:45 GMT

West High Cheer Boys!

Hiding out at another park

Tough to look butch in Lycra

"I make it look good!"

Pre-game nerves run rampant

Successful trick (Sam's in the far group- back holder)

Them's some mighty fine gams there, boys! (That's G, Sam's doubles partner)

Can G's skirt be any shorter?

America's Future (All Seniors- they hogged the skirts)

Post Half-Time Show

Home Coming Parade

We're off to the Game- Have a great weekend!

A guerilla posting

Tue, 26 Jun 2007 22:34:41 GMT

Hey, Kids! Sorry I’ve been MIA this week- it has been wicked busy the past few days & I haven’t really had time to sit down to string some comprehensible sentences. Never fear- I can’t hold my tongue any longer then I can hold my water, so I’ll be posting before the end of the week. Here are a few highlights to explain my absence:

A visit from my mother-in-law

A family wedding (hence the visit)

Semi-annual audit at work

My semi-annual migraine (curious timing)

Eleven crochet squares & one pair of socks completed

My new camera has arrived

On a more serious note, I do need to ask you for something- my daughter really needs your prayers. She is currently living in a homeless shelter; the situation in the house where she was living became unbearable & she has no money to go anywhere else. I cannot express how devastating it is for me to say those words out loud; when I requested prayer at choir practice, I began to sob. Because of her lifestyle choices, she knows we won’t offer her a place here, so thankfully she hasn’t asked. Please pray for her protection, direction, & wisdom; she needs to allow God to do a work in her, but she’s still running from His love & our guidance.

Bits & Pieces

Sun, 17 Jun 2007 21:20:25 GMT

Wondering what the hot topic of conversation was after our staff meeting Wednesday morning?

It wasn’t the great new mortgage program, with up to a 40 year term.

It wasn’t the “clarification” of the dress code, specifically outlawing flip-flops as business casual attire.

It wasn’t even discussing how big the pregnant lady is & how soon that baby is going to come.

Perish the thought;

This was the subject:

Not the earrings themselves, but the fact that I was wearing them, as well as a little makeup & colored lip balm.

At work.

You would have thought it was the Second Coming the way they carried on- and frankly, it wasn’t flattering.

In truth, I was rather annoyed.

Certain people have decreed that staff meetings are “Diva Day” & I am required to wear makeup, lipstick, earrings, & heels.

I think my politest reply to this was “Bugger Off!”

The only reason I was fixed up was because I was going to the Garden Club Tea right after work- frankly, I don’t think these particular clods rate the effort.

Beside, it’s become a point of honor: no one has the right to judge my personal style (or lack of it)

But that’s another blog.

I dreamt about my ex-husband the other night; this really wasn’t that surprising, as I realized on Tuesday that it would have been our 25^th wedding anniversary that day.

Normally, the date goes by without my even noticing; we’ve been divorced for 19 years & haven’t spoken since his Mom died last year. I briefly thought about those two hopeful young people standing at the altar, how sad that their dream was broken; how God brought good out of a bad decision; and about the happiness I’ve found & disappointment he has lived through since then.

I dreamed that we were still married- I was unhappy, but resigned to being there- even though I had memories of being married to Chris. I have dreams like this at least once a year; sometimes, I’m getting ready to re-marry him, even though I’ve been with Chris all these years. Every time, I’m trying to figure out how to get out of it & get back to the life I want. It’s all very disturbing & a little creepy. My question to all the “Second Time Around” wives that drop by- do you have dreams like that?

Chris & Sam have gone to lunch & the movies for Father’s Day; this is one of the benefits of my children growing older- they can take responsibility for the day, leaving me off the hook. While Chris was on an all-day road call to Redding yesterday (four hours each way, plus working on the units up there), I did a little shopping by myself- finally got around to buying the bras I’ve been needing for months- & surprise! ended up with some more plants, so I begged off on “The Fantastic Four” in favor of replanting one of my hanging baskets. Of course, it’s a bit too warm to be working outside just now, so I’m thinking about going to Costco- then again, maybe I’ll go get a pedicure…

P.S.~ I did all three (note the potting soil on my pedicured piede)

Questions Answered Daily

Thu, 31 May 2007 04:17:27 GMT

For those who have asked: unfortunately, I didn’t make over to play croquet on Sunday- Chris had a relapse & was feeling particularly dreadful, so I ended up staying in town, doing a Costco run & fixing some soup for the invalid (he has a very loud congested cough & body aches)- I was disappointed, but I’m certain I’ll have other opportunities. I puttered around, took a nap & then a walk before picking up Sam- he had spent the night at his friend’s house & stayed for a birthday pool party, so when he got home, he fell into bed & slept all night.

I did make it over to the nursery early Monday morning & it seems more treasures have followed me home.

Some people collect stray animals on their wanderings, others heirloom spoons or garage sale discoveries; me, I come home with more plants, which, more often then not, end up sitting in a box on the potting bench until either 1. They start to wilt, or 2. Chris sticks them in the ground (I then go behind him, digging them back up & putting them where they “belong”.) Not this time! I actually had specific plans for each selection, & tonight, after my walk, I will be replacing the planter on the front porch, refreshing the cooking herb container, adding two Gerber daisies in the front bed & a fuchsia to the fern corner. (Update: Make that tomorrow night- there are 25 mph winds out there- I'd prefer they don't get flattened to the ground right off the bat.) I do have one little stray plant that doesn’t have a particular home in mind- it is a hybrid fuchsia (bottom left side- orange/gold leaves) with the most unusual colored foliage I’ve seen; I just couldn’t resist getting it- now I just need to figure out where to plant it. Oh, yes- look at what I found while watering this morning:

What I thought were more flowers were actually unripened blueberries; I only have 5 of them, but it's a start- now I have hope for next year.

Thank you for inquiring after dear Daisy; she is slowly improving, but has had a few rough days lately. Yesterday was particularly trying; she had to go back to the vet & stay all day, to have her glucose levels monitored, since her blood sugar is still too high. She was so upset on the way over to the vet’s that she completely soaked the bedding in her carrier. The techs gave her a bath before settling her into the kennel for the day; every two hours, they would take her out to draw the blood samples. I came to pick her up at 5:30 & when the tech took her out of her cubby, poor Daisy-understandably fearful of facing yet another needle- peed all over everyone. She cut loose like a racehorse & soaked everything in reach, then had endure another bath before getting back into the car for the ride home. The only pleasant aspect of the ordeal was Daisy was unusually affectionate with everyone last night- even allowing “Nurse Kitty” Poppy to bathe her ears & permitting Dahlia to nap next to her on the rug. The hardest part is watching the progress of this disease; never one to be particularly active, Daisy has been hampered in her movements by the onset of Diabetic Neuralgia, which affects the functioning of her hind legs. It is sad to watch her wobbling her way across the kitchen to her food bowl, appearing to slip & slide- but the vet has assured us she isn’t in any pain & once the insulin levels are established, we may see an improvement in that area. So, we continue to watch & care & pray over our companion, giving her extra attention & understanding, as we hope to receive ourselves someday when we are old & infirmed.

I also wanted to update you on the Ucci & Clifton families that I wrote about in "Too Young & Too Soon"; there was an article in our local paper today, highlighting how Ken Ucci, the father of the boy who died in the accident has started a chapter "Get Real Behind the Wheel". It is a safe driving program that teaches young people about responsible behavior behind the wheel- I would strongly encourage you to read the article here. I was so moved how the Ucci family has continued to embrace & support Bret- there has been no malice or anger ever expressed by these people, & Ken will be speaking on Bret's behalf at his sentencing hearing next month.

I believe I mentioned that Bret had been awarded a scholarship to play basketball before the accident, which cost him both his legs, a portion of his vision, & ultimately his scholarship; here is an article about how a group of special education students organized a fundraiser to help Bret pay for school. I don't think it adequately expresses what a exceptional young man Bret is, but it is touching none the less, showing how accepting & forgiving the community has become.

Whistling in the Dark

Fri, 20 Apr 2007 17:00:35 GMT

I felt the need to spruce up around here & decorate for spring, something to brighten my mood. Being back at work, with all the pressures & annoyances, after a week of freedom is never easy; but this... discomfort... is more than that. As I was telling my friend Weimie, I’ve been feeling tired & slightly depressed the past couple of weeks; nothing major or overwhelming, just out of the ordinary. At lunchtime, instead of reading & knitting (two of my favorite activities), I've been going home, eating a piece of toast with peanut butter, & laying down on the sofa to sleep. I haven't been to knitting group in over a month & have only been to dance class once since Chris' first trip. Sometimes, I think it’s Spring Fever; other times, missing Chris; if I’m really honest, I know exactly what it is- I’m getting use to living alone & this makes me sad. In the past 54 weeks, Chris has been gone 14 of them- more than 1/4^th of the time. I have adapted to being the only parent, to having the bed to myself, & to figuring out how to fix things myself. This is not what I had planned for my life & it makes me wonder- why this path, at this time?

I am not one to dwell on the negative or borrow trouble; in true Scarlett O’Hara fashion, when disturbing thoughts pop into my head, I push them away & say to myself “I’ll think about it tomorrow”. This is not avoidance- it is self-preservation; I have danced around with insomnia & depression over the years, & it’s not a relationship I want to continue.

This being said, it is also in my nature to look at situations directly & consider all the options; I’m of the “Worst Case Scenario” school- prepare for the absolute worst possible outcome, so when it doesn’t turn out that way, you feel like you have really won.

This thought keeps coming back- I’m getting use to being alone- & I don’t like the idea at all. Why? First off, if I’m getting use to being alone, then so is Chris. What I say next is going to be brutally honest- I am not an easy person to live with; I’m strong-willed & accustomed to running things my way. At home, I don’t always moderate my words, particularly with Chris- if I’m annoyed (which is more often then I’m comfortable admitting) I will say exactly how I’m feeling, colorful idioms & all. And I’ve noticed in the past few months, since he began traveling so much, that Chris is beginning to respond in kind- sarcastic, impatient, & sulky- not all the time, but enough to be noticeable.

All this time away, while his living conditions are not always comfortable, he has been doing his own thing (when not working), deciding what to eat, where to go, having full control over the television. Then he comes home & we have to get use to being around one another again. I can’t help but wonder if he regrets this loss of “freedom”.

Then there is the… um… physical side of our marriage; after nearly 20 years together, we’ve been through the ebbs & flows of passion, & that is to be expected. The past two years have definitely been “low-tide”; between my pre-hysterectomy health struggles & Chris’ herniated discs, weeks, sometimes months, go back without any connections. Don’t get me wrong- I trust Chris; there is just this niggling little notion (stemming from my own insecurities) that I don’t appeal to him anymore. Coupled with the fact that women, of all ages & situations, are drawn to Chris, I’m a bit worried. Like his son, he has a natural friendliness & appeal that might invite the wrong idea; I also wonder if he’ll meet someone less…me... thinner, younger, more compliant & easy going, & decide that is more pleasant to be around. Hey- these are fears- no one said they were rational!

Now for the other side of this troubling thought- why is it getting easier to be alone? Why now? Am I’m being prepared for something? This is an idea I really don’t want to contemplate, but it keeps coming back. I pursued my accounting degree for the express purpose of being able to support my family if the need arose. Chris’ back injury has left him labeled by the State of California as 20% permanently disabled; the reality has always been that the time may come that he won’t be able to work anymore. My assumption was he would be around, that we would be celebrating our 60^th anniversary together. The truth is, as we all know, none of us is guaranteed tomorrow; I know there is a possibility that someday, I won’t have Chris here at all, not because of separation or divorce, but because he will be with the Lord. I’ve loved this man since I was 16 years old- he is part of me, of who I’ve become- & the thought of a life without him in it has been too painful to imagine. Suddenly, it is staring me in the face, demanding attention. I know that we would be okay- I’m strong, capable, intelligent; Sam & I have a close bond that will allow us to support each other through whatever may come. What I hate is the thought that our son might grow into adulthood without a father, & that Chris would miss out on all the joys yet to come, as did his Dad. I don’t want to have to walk that path.

So, there it is- reasonable, rational, or completely out in left field, I’ve dragged my ghosts out into the light, facing & naming them- my prayer now is that they will dissolve away like so much mist, & I’ll have some peace again. Thanks for listening.

Comings & Goings

Fri, 23 Mar 2007 22:47:53 GMT

“Drake the Dryer” drama has not been the only activity in the Garden this week; Chris has returned home, Sam has made it out of the pool onto the ladder, & our new family member is arriving tomorrow. Currently, Drake is residing in the back room of the store where he was purchased, awaiting arrival of parts to complete his repairs; the store manager was at our house within an hour of the last phone call, to escort Drake to his temporary quarters. Since the pressure is off of me & monetary compensation is in the works, I’m willing to let them repair him- but if there is the least little hiccup, watch out Frigidaire.

My better half returned Wednesday afternoon; he spent the past two weeks, living & working, on a motor home lot… next a freeway… in Florida. To say he is glad to be home, even with all the aggravation of the Dryer Saga, would be a gross understatement. The first thing he did when he walked in the house was to swing his arms around randomly & observe that nothing fell over. He then went upstairs, laid down on the bed (yes, the one he missed noticing for 10 days after the last trip) & repeated a reverent mantra, “Mybedmybedmybed…” After a half-hearted peck on my cheek, he admitted he had a raging migraine, so I prescribed a long shower, a couple ibuprofens & sleep; when he awoke the following morning, he was feeling more human & decided to walk with Sam to school. He is off work until Monday, but unfortunately, doesn’t have my capacity for true laziness- since yesterday, he has mowed both lawns, pulled weeds, done the laundry, vacuumed both floors, & cleaned the bathroom- all in addition to dealing with the dryer problem. He has called me twice this morning- first time to ask if I had any errands needing to be done, the second to see if I was coming home for lunch- he has already read the paper, washed the dishes, & taken a walk, so I suggested visiting his mortician friend or taking a sleeping pill. The man needs to learn how to relax.

I’ve referred to the fact that, while he is on the tennis team in school, Sam is a beginning player, just learning the game. Therefore, his position on the team is “member of the JV pool”- a grand title for a benchwarmer. The seven members of the “Pool” are only used when a ranked player is unable to play; the only way to get out of the “Pool” is to earn a ranking by winning matches against other teammates. So the sum total of Sam’s three weeks or so on the team has been going to practice, doing conditioning, & playing games within the team. He practices every chance he gets- last Saturday, instead of heading to the mall, he was out on the courts for five hours, playing challenge matches with his “Pool” mates. It seems to be paying off, because last night, after taking team pictures & having their regular practice, coach told him he is now 4^th ranked on the JV ladder & gets to play in the two-day JV tournament in Oakley. Man, that kid was stoked! I met him at the school right after practice, while taking my walk yesterday, & all the way home (about 1 ¼ miles) he smiling, talking, & jumping up around. The tourney is all day today & tomorrow, so Sam was up early packing a lunch & snacks to take & was at the school by 7:10 to meet the bus. He left a message on my voicemail at work that they would be playing longer then originally planned & won’t be back in town until 5:00 pm- I guess that means he & his partner haven’t been eliminated yet. Chris & I are planning on following the bus up to Oakley in the morning, so we can (hopefully) watch him play a little & get some pictures for the grandparents, before our new student arrives in the afternoon.

I think we have nearly everything ready for Kenta. When Yuki was here last summer, Sam had bunk beds in his room; now he has just a platform bed. We have a queen-sized raised Aerobed we use when company comes, so Sam & I got out the graph paper & tape measures (we are math geeks, after all), plotted, planned, & rearranged his room several times last week, trying to make it work, but it’s too big to fit comfortably. So I bought a twin-sized regular Aerobed that Sam will use (which will come in handy later, when Sam has friends over) & Chris is fashioning a temporary platform so he doesn’t have to drop from 3 foot above the mattress to lie down. Towels are washed, a couple of drawers are emptied, & a case of Top Ramen is stashed in the garage (Yuki & the other students loved that stuff!) This is going to be a whirlwind visit- I doubt they will have enough time to recover from jet lag before they are heading back. I think we’re going to keep it pretty low key- no great adventures, just hanging around the house, wander around the mall, maybe dinner out one night. The good thing about the short length of the stay is no one will have time to get too attached, so hopefully, the going away party won’t be the “Cry Fest” it was last summer.

Well, I’m going to head home early today- I find I’m in need of a little nap while the house is reasonably quiet & devoid of teenaged bodies; I wonder where Chris has wandered off…

I need to vent

Wed, 21 Mar 2007 03:50:23 GMT

Forgive the following tirade, but I’m so mad, I’m practically spitting nails.

You know I just bought a new washer/dryer set; you also know that the dryer came out of the box making a grinding noise while running. Frigidaire arranged for one of their repair people to come to my house today to fix it. I took a half day off work, since it was one of those aggravating “between 1:00 & 5:00 pm” appointments; the guy showed up at 5:30 pm- this is not boding well.

I showed him the machine, turn it on to demonstrate the problem, & let him have at it; 10 minutes later, he asked if he could use the table to set up his computer. Uh, sure- why not? Well, evidently, he can’t find the model listed in able to order the needed parts.

“You need to order parts? It’s a brand new machine.” He replied that the entire bearing assembly needs to be replaced, since some sort of shaft has been bent.

“How long will that take?” His reply- March 30^th… ten days from now… & I can’t use the machine. Not acceptable.

I call the store where I bought it & ask to speak to the manager; I explain the situation & tell him I want a new machine delivered ASAP. He asks if the repair man will be able to fix the one already here; I let him know that is not the issue- I paid him over $600 for a new, working dryer, not a new machine in need of work. He told me he would get me a loaner machine out by Thursday, call Frigidaire to arrange for another service company to get the repair done sooner & argue with them to get me a new machine. I told him “Fine- I will expect your call in tomorrow,”; he hemmed & hawed that he didn’t know how long it would take to settle everything, blah-blah-blah; I said “I will expect a call from you tomorrow.”

I sent the repair guy out the door, thanking him politely for his time, closed the door, & promptly burst into tears. I hate it when people try to take advantage of me, & really hate any kind of conflict. I go out of my way to keep the peace, so being (politely) forceful & assertive like that was very difficult & stressful. I couldn’t call Chris & tell him about it, because he would just feel helpless & frustrated he can’t ride in to save the day (he is very protective of me, even though I don’t usually feel I need protecting.) I sat on the bed, crying & sniffling, when sweet Poppy jumped up next to me & began rubbing my arm with her head; I reached over to pet her & she stretched up to my face, purring & sniffing my hair- we call it “Poppy Blessing”- then settled down next to me. What a dear animal- I’m blessed to have her in our home.

Anyway, that’s my rant; I took a walk & prayed about it, so I’m feeling better, but I’m still pretty angry, so thanks for listening.

3/21/07 10:00 am Update: Had a message from the Frigidaire distributor this morning, saying he was calling to explain their warranty/returns policy, & that he'd call back this afternoon- He didn't leave his phone number, the big weenie!

3:45 pm: Big weenie calls back- I'm at my desk this time- chunters on about "warrenty say repair or replace" they need to see if it can be repaired first, etc. End result- no new machine yet. Store manager calls- have contacted new repair guy who will come tomorrow, & loaner dryer will be at my house before 6:00 pm- he says the magic words "We will compensate you for all your trouble"

6:00 pm: Loaner is installed & working, Lemon is in garage awaiting service; second repair guy calls & will be here between 10 & 12 tomorrow morning (Chris is back, so he gets the duty- besides, he makes more than I do, so they can compensate us on his pay :P)

3/22/07 7:30 am: Big, Bad Chris is back on the job- he's had 12 hours of sleep & the full story related to him, so he has decreed "I'll handle this from now on" I am scurrying off to work & the White Knight is in charge!

10:25 am: Oh-oh; second repair guy has shown up- evidently, he's none too bright, because he was very rude to Chris (8 inches taller & 45 lbs heavier)- Won't work on the Lemon because it's not hooked up to the gas line; Chris explained it was the motor, not the heating, & guy told him he didn't know "sh*t" & stormed off. Chris has called store & talked to manager- manager is now torqued- says he will come & personally get machine from our house, haul repair guy #2 over by the short-hairs & have him work on machine at the store. Chris said he was ready to haul it down there himself- I told him not to even touch the Lemon- I'm not having them try to blame us for any damage!

Hey, Mom...

Fri, 16 Mar 2007 04:21:11 GMT

Look what followed me home from the nursery yesterday; can I keep him?

I took a vacation day (yes, officially- with full knowledge of my activities by my boss) to attend the first Garden Club meeting of the year, which was a field trip to replace plants lost in the freeze this winter. It was such a lovely day; the temperature hovered around 78˚ all day, clear & sunny, with just enough of a breeze to be comfortable.

I went looking for new plants for my planters on the front porch, which is deeply shaded but subject to the notorious Tracy winds. I picked up two varieties of Coleus in red & light green; Lysimachia- light green trailing plant; Variegated Ground Ivy; white Sweet Alyssum; white Lobelia; German Chamomile; & a great looking Geranium with variegated leaves & red blooms.

While wandering through the lawn ornaments, this charming fellow peeked out at me from under some ferns. I couldn’t resist & practically snatched him up unto my wagon; all the ladies were jealously admiring him, but I found the only one that day.

After we stopped for a late lunch & returned back to town, I dropped off my purchases at the house; the girls were quite funny to watch, as they circled, sniffed, & examined our statue friend. Dahlia went as far as to take submissive posture in front of him, reaching out tentatively to touch his paw.

I then headed out to find a washer & dryer set. Have you ever gone out, with the express purpose of spending money, & couldn’t find anyone that would take it? I went to four stores, talked to five salesmen, before I found one who would sell me what I wanted & could deliver before April 1st. Surprisingly, it was a little independent appliance store that I went into on a whim; it had just opened a couple of weeks ago & I didn’t figure they would have anything in my price range. Lesson learned: never assume; not only did they have a set in my budget, with the features I wanted, but they could deliver as soon as Friday! Of course, I couldn’t take off more time this week without having to work on the weekend, so they are scheduled to install the set Saturday afternoon.

The only side effect of my day off was a rather concerned phone call from my credit card company. You see, I normally only charge around $75 a month & pay it off within two weeks; in one day, I was in three different cities, five different businesses, & spent over $1000- they called to make sure my card hadn’t been stolen! I had to sheepishly admit, no- those were all my charges, but thanks for your concern. When I talked to Chris last night & told him about the spending spree, his only question was, “How many hours of over-time am I going to have to work to pay it off?” That’s my guy, ever the pragmatist.