A Month of Holidays

A month of holidays is about to end. I still love coming home at the end of the day and lighting up the tree. Just a couple more days left. When this is done it'll be time to buy a lamp.

Bus Rides on Holiday

I forgot to mention earlier this week that a bus driver took the wrong turn one morning. What a crack up. Halfway down a street we don't normally drive down she starts talking into the microphone, "Huh, didn't know this street was open. I think we'll just turn around and get back on the route. Might get you folks there sooner."

Every day something interesting happens. Good morning to each of you. Today shall be interesting too. So, tell me what interesting, abnormal, out of the blue, itsy-bitsy thing, or momentous occassion happened to you today?

Anything can happen...

Under the heading of, "Apparently anything can happen today." (My favorite quote by Mark Twain) today I was handed over $100 in bus passes from a co-worker that no longer uses the passes. Merry Christmas!

Downtown diversions

I had a tough day today. Well, yesterday too. As I was riding the bus home this evening it dawned on me there are diversions right here downtown between bus rides.There's Santa in the window at Macy's. There's the long line of parents with their children waiting to see Santa (straight out of the movie A Christmas Story).
There's the model trains running around the tracks in another window at Macy's. The model train window had airplanes, and gandolas and all sorts of cool stuff moving and spinning.

Seattle in general is doing the festival of lights thing. I walked blocks I don't normally walk. I stood outside shop windows I would never linger at any other time of year. I did change buses at a new corner. The people watching was far more fascinating than usual.

I forgot about the day and being beaten down with mediocrity...until I got home. Now I just want to go to bed. I've another two days of quacking with the ducks for this week, another three weeks for this contract. I feel poorly for these people I work with. This is turning into a hard contract to work through.

In the meantime, I've decided I really like golashes. I may need a pair...but only if they are pink.

Life is grand

Thank you to all who have remembered me on this marvelous of days in celebration of my birth. I would do it again... in a heartbeat. What an amazing year, and all the years that have lead up to this. Each year gets better. They really do. I would be pleased to be surrounded in person by all those I know and love. In the meantime, I feel love and surrounded by all those that have blessed me with their greetings.

Ah, life is grand. Life is a necklace of diamonds I can claim as wonderful moments. Each one special, each person special - shining with cut, clarity and color of personality. Thank you.

Two faced moon

That's not the moon you see...that's the clock I watch near King Street Station to see how long I must wait for my bus. I waited a long time this evening. My umbrella is above, someone else's bus is below. From here it looks like a two faced moon with a rocket beyond the orbit climbing to distant galaxies. Interesting, both faces tell the same time.

Reason for the Season

Let's just keep things straight during this crazy month. I snatched this from another favorited blog Noisy Astronomer

"The things I like about Christmas aren’t related to the
Christian story at all. The winter solstice, or the shortest day of the
year, in terms of daylight hours, was an important date in many ancient
traditions. This is now considered the first day of winter, but it also
marks when the days will begin getting longer, a welcome event for farming
communities and people who don’t like to come home from work when it’s
dark. It’s the day that the sun starts moving higher in the sky again,
thus it is unconquered, or Sol Invictus. Winter festivities around the world
included Roman Saturnalia, full of gift-giving and merry-making (ancient eggnog
anyone?), Roman new year celebrations , which helped to give us indoor greenery
to celebrate life amongst the cold, and Scandinavia, which gave us the Yule log.
Later, as Christianity became more established, they threw their holiday into the mix as to not be forgotten, and to reaffirm Jesus as the “unconquered son.”

Since Christmas was so heavily steeped in pagan tradition, it was rejected by the
Puritans who settled the “New World.” Christmas had mixed popularity in colonial
America but fell out of favor, along with other English customs like tea time
and Doctor Who, after the Revolutionary War. In this era, Christmas continued to
be celebrated in various forms in Europe where the Christmas tree and Santa Claus became part of the holiday.

Christmas as we know it was reinvented in 19th century America
as a peaceful family holiday that focused on children. The practice
of putting a Christmas tree in the house and giving presents to children from
Santa were incorporated at this time, and the holiday grew up to be one of
goodwill towards all mankind. It was declared a national holiday in
1870.

So really, when you look at it, axial tilt is the REAL reason for the
season, and we have a rich, complex history of traditions that have been
invented and reinvented over the years to surround that. I think that as
long as you don’t get wrapped up in cynical, crass commercialism, it can be
the most wonderful time of year!"

###

Yes! I am allowed a another legal holiday to spread good cheer - much like I do for Independence Day or Valentines (I take that back, I'm a grump during Valentines). I love the tree, the lights, the presents - heck...why not!

Relationship Mending among Strangers (Update)

I love Freecycle.org. I am having a fine time checking my e-mail to see what amazing things people are giving away for free. I've gotten some things free - chairs and a curio cabinet to date. I decided to post some stuff I don't want and see what happens.

The subject line reads: "Offer - Books: Relationship Mending". The books in question are two written by Dr. Phil, and one written by Harley or Farley or something. I wrote the post very clean - titles, hardcover with dust jackets, that kind of thing. That evening I got a couple responses from women that are interested (I have yet to have anyone come by to pick the books up). As I checked the following morning I saw a response from a male e-mailer. I opened this reply to read, "Did they work?"

I do believe this is a reasonable and well thought out response. The books are being given away free, wouldn't you wonder?

I replied, "Too funny. I wondered if someone would ask. The friend that gave them to me appears very happy. I am happily single. We'll have to take her word for it."

His reply this morning, " I figured you'd think I was funny or I was a jerk. I use the old fashioned relationship repair kit so now she's pregnant. Her mother even recently moved in with us."

I thought about replying that maybe he should have given the books a try first. Somehow that seems a moot point. MarlaJ will be stopping by tonight for the books. I hope she's not pregnant.

**Edit: Marla came by. No, she's not pregnant. :) **

Quote of the day...

"I believe in creating memories." ~James.

This weekend's list of to-do's was wide and varied. Nothing of substance got done yesterday. I take that back: I had dinner at a dear friend's and did a load of laundry while we compared notes on grown children living in other time zones. Other than that...I think I took a nap. Today I am settling down to only do the stuff of memories. Homemade gifts are what my children are getting this year. They may be too young to appreciate what I'm sending. In less than ten years these gifts will be more holy than bibles. These gifts incorporate the information of generations of their own family. How much more personal can one get?

My kids (in a different time zone - figuratively and literally) prefer cash.

Music in the stars?

It seems astronomers have discovered that black holes emit a single note - Bb (B flat). Which makes me wonder at the Om being emitted by the mantras of the masses. What note is that at? Is it deep in our throats that a Bb is available? The sound I consider happy is not a Bb, but a happier note, like an A or a C. Is Bb the sound of the blues? It would follow, in my random logic, that a black hole and the blues have a common thread.

Of all the notes to be emitted by deep space I am not surprised by Bb. I had hoped for a lighter note, something denoting (pun intended) love or happiness. So then, what note does the sun, or the moon, emit?

Eta-Carina in our galaxy, taken with the Hubble Space Telescope. The star that exploded in 2004 and 2006 in the far off galaxy 2006 was likely a very massive star like Eta-Carina, of up to 100 solar masses, and doomed to death when its core collapsed to a black hole. (c) NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope and Jon Morse

SNAP!

Oh My God! It is frigid. It is cold. It is almost bitter. I wore an under camisole, two sweaters and a scarf over that. I had on slacks and wintersilks long underwear plus socks. I wore my long warm leather coat (to guard against those cold bus seats) and wrapped my heaviest pashmini up high on the back of my neck and around my lower face. Oh thank god I am not in the blizzard they are having in Wisconsin. If I remember correctly that was a major reason I left. Seems there will be five more days of these snapping cold mornings here in Seattle. At least it's been dry - amazingly dry and windless. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it.

Now if only my car can handle this. I drove around for half an hour after getting off the bus this evening just to warm it up. The neighborhood christmas lights made for a nice drive. These snappy mornings are a major drain on my car battery. I've been starting my car at 6:15 a.m. so that when I leave the house at 6:30 it is good to go. Mostly I've also been starting it at 6:15 so that if it doesn't start I have time enough to hoof it over to a bus stop that can get me to work on time. Today I was told that it is illegal in Washington state to leave a car running without a driver inside. Oh please, just let me get through these extreme weather days. I will get a new car battery on payday next week. I promise.

PS: My kitchen floor is too cold to stand on while my eggs cook. Jeesh, I hate wearing shoes in the house.

Seattle - 7 a.m.

3rd & Pine at 7 a.m.

Bus ride through Seattle yesterday and today is a tad bit chilly these days. This morning it was 21F/-6C. Thank goodness there was no wind to speak of. Yesterday I wore a skirt and a long coat. The long coat did me very well. Today I wore slacks and a short coat. Oh baby, those bus seats are COLD! Gloves are now a necessary evil. I love my scarf. I wear a big, wide, colorful scarf to wrap around my neck and stuff into the front of my coat. It's wide across the back of my neck. It's not even winter yet. I'm wondering about hat hair. I don't wear a hat. That will change. I don't know when, but soon.

Jackson and Main (?) at 5 p.m.

The buses this time of year keep on their interior lights only on the drivers side. The seats on the other side of the bus do not have the overhead lighting on. I find this interesting. I lot more people are getting on the buses and shutting their eyes, either relaxing before the day begins (for the morning crowd) or decompressing at the end of the day (for the evening crowd). Yesterday I was on the decompress side of the bus. Today I sat on the luminated side and got some reading done.

Alleyway from Howell and 8th

I'm so glad to have someone else do the driving. I leave the house at 6:30 a.m. and don't get home until 6:22 p.m. and that is fine with me. I start my car at 6:15 in the morning - two reasons. One is to make sure it will start, I'm having battery issues. If it doesn't start I still have time to walk to a bus stop and, with a couple adjustments, still get to work on time. Two is the car is reasonably warm to drive after 15 minutes of chugging away in my driveway to get me to the Park & Ride for the easiest bus to work.

This contract is only until the end of January or so, the coldest months of the year probably. I may be investing in warmer socks, or boots, or parka. Update will follow, I'm sure.

Freecycle - Amazing!

I am now the proud owner of two semi-lovely chairs that I previously did not have. Interesting things about the two chairs, they are both ladderback, rattan seated chairs. Even though the backs are different heights, the seating is at 18" for all of my chairs. My last apartment had such an ecclectic mix of chairs - each uphoslstery was fabulous - that the seating height did not match. I paid for those chairs...so far I've not paid for any of my current chairs. That may catch up with me one day.

Freecycle.org is a pretty good deal. I appreciate the moderators. Freecycle is set up as a posting "group" on Yahoo!. If a person wants to get rid of something - say a chair - and it's not worth much, or the bother of ebay or craigslist, they can post it on the freecycle posting board. Someone like me will see that as long as I can go get these chairs they're free. I did see photos before I responded. I e-mailed the posting person only, and not the whole group, and arranged a time to swing by. So this morning...I have chairs.

I'm a little bummed. If I had gone by about half an hour earlier I would have brought home a free loveseat too. It wasn't posted on freecycle. It was being hauled out of a house a couple blocks from where the chairs came from. I stopped to chat - to no avail. It's worth an effort once in a while to see what's going on. It was dark blue. I still think a red sofa is the way to go.

I'm keeping my eyes on craigslist too. Maybe in January I'll walk through another furniture store. Just for giggles.

***UPDATE _ EDIT***

Picked up a tall lighted curio cabinet this afternoon - unfinished wood - glass shelves - this stuff is amazing.

General Life Conditions of a Wizard

I was going to share the fact that Tuesday my windshield started to crack. If I'm lucky it will stay low on the glass. I was going to share that I have a slow electric "leak" on my truck. If I don't start it everyday I require a jumpstart. If I unhook the radio I'm betting this problem will go away. But, then I would have no radio. I prefer to go out and start my truck every day. I was going to share that my children are making their lives difficult right now and there is nothing I can do to stop it, other than counsel them firmly to stop it.I don't know why all these things have come to the forefront today, or this week even.

Putting the mirror up to me it's fairly obvious; I'm not feeling well. Physically yes, spiritually not so much. I've considered myself an optimist for so long it is disconcerting to have things fester (?) below the surface. I may be a little scared at what I find if I pull at the curtain. We all know, "pay no attention to the man behind the curtain." When in actuality, he was just a person, as any of us. That poor wizard had hopes and aspirations that as a normal person, and not a wizard, were difficult to live up to. And yet, he made things happen. I've been working behind the curtain lately. I like it here. I don't want to come out from behind. I'd prefer to stay here and work on all my little wizardy projects for a while longer. I'm not "done" yet. Ahso, I go back to work on Monday. I better straighten up for the "real" world. Here I was beginning to believe I lived in the Emerald City (that's a joke folks, regarding Seattle's nickname).

I realize it's 1:30 in the morning, but my days and nights have been running together as my brain has taken over my body. I've released control of time in a normal scheduling sense. While I feel "good", it's made a mush of "normal" life. Normal life is calling.

My job coming up will be to integrate some time behind the curtain with the time I am required to work on other people's projects. Sustainability of one's purpose while sustaining an income is an excellent exercise in life. I'm experiencing a bit of dread that I may have atrophied a bit during this time off.

When the wizard was called on to show his true colors, he did okay. He stepped up to the plate. He didn't "save" everyone as he wanted to, but he got them started. An important tangible moment was the hot air balloon worked. He wasn't so bad, just flustered. Someday I'm going to have to read that book.

(Okay, maybe he was a pompous ass)

Jonesin' for a steak

This is just your run of the mill whiney post. I'm sure half an hour after posting I will be on to something else, forgetting that I have a whiney streak in me today. What you see above is my bacon cheeseburger with homemade potato chips. It's just not the same. It's not the same as walking into some restaurant with ambient lighting, being guided to an open and usually inviting table and being asked to please take a seat. It's not the same as someone coming around, just out of the blue, to fill your water glass. It's not the same as the basket of bread with honey-butter being delivered to the table just because. This bacon cheeseburger with homemade potato chips is not the rib eye steak I am craving right now. It is not the massive house salad or side of green beans, or baked potato or any of it. This homemade bacon cheeseburger with potato chips is not even McD's where one just drives up to a light up board, talks to a screen and then drives around to another window where one gets handed the most heavenly smelling paper bag.

This homemade bacon cheeseburger isn't even on a bun - although I like the dark sweet whole grain stuff better anyway. I am jonesin' to not eat at home. I am craving almost any restaurant. The funniest thing is, I can't bring myself to go do it. Cash is available. Time is available. I've been out driving twice today thinking about eating and haven't stopped anywhere except the grocery to pick up the burger. I've definitely got issues.

(The photo is to remind me I've got nothing whine about)

Deadlines

I'll be back to work on Monday. I'm told it's a furshure thing this time, funds have been allocated and everything is a go. Somehow, by having an end date on my time I feel called into action. This afternoon I found myself walking/jogging until just before sunset (which is horribly, terribly early).

And came home to use the "bowflex" thingy for awhile. I love the way my back feels after even just a couple repetitions. If the Weider/Bowflex hadn't been left on my balcony I wouldn't miss it. While I've been off work this last stretch I've learned a couple of moves on it that always feel good. (Yes, I'm showing off a bit - hey, I'm even showing off to me!)
I've been consistently working on the book for my mom and the quilt for my daughter. Today, it felt good to get outside for me. I've only 4 days left, for me.

2012 - NOT the movie

Some things are just too good not to share...

This is a great site - http://www.informationisbeautiful.net/

It is simply remarkable all the "arguments" the believers have come up with to forward their doomsday.

Dishes on any given day

To most readers I'm sure this looks like a sink. Well, okay, it is. To me this looks like a dish cloth where it is supposed to be, and a red scrubby thingy where it is supposed to be. I have successfully washed dishes twice now. And run the disposal once. All without incident. This appears to be all I need to have a successful day.

Seattle Tourist - Ferry Rides

The sun was shining, actually shining this morning. I understand this is a strange and rare occassion this time of year here in the great north wet. I took my coffee and croissant down to Edmonds Beach. I love Edmonds Beach, and Richmond Beach and Gateway Beach...okay I love the beaches. While I watched the single gull on the beach lurking for a piece of my croissant the ferry came in. Oh, this ferry is one I've wanted to ride from the first time I watched them going in and out this last summer.
I am feeling this morning a bit defeated (read disposal issues) and just unsettled which I won't share here. I drove the three minutes back home, bundled up, grabbed a notebook for writing (okay, so that part didn't work) and headed back to Edmonds. Three hour parking is all I needed.

The view from inside the walkway. All I'm thinking is that it is about time I took this trip.

From the deck the view of the Puget Sound is spectacular, but the pilings are in focus.

206 cars fit on the ferry. At Edmonds/Kingston ferry there are two boats that crisscross the sound - the Spokane and the Puyallup

Coming into Kingston. Is this a sunny, wonderful, perfect day or what?!

Both Edmonds and Kingston have a lovely marina. I love dark hulled sailboats.

In the shadows - long tall sally.

The Puyallup is a nicer boat. Maybe it's newer. The breeze had picked up by the time I was on the return trip. The wind was whipping by so strong around the bow I could feel my glasses move on my face. I walked the decks on the sunny side both coming and going. Soaking it in.

Kingston is a lovely, small, sedate town. Just what I needed today. The view of the houses on the slopes nearby was provincial and inviting. There is a quilt shop on the Kingston side that garnered most of my time, though none of my money. Maybe next time. But, next time I want to bring my bike over to the island and bike through the neighborhoods and wooded areas I could see from the ferry. Best thing, pay one way, the way home is free. A bike is only a $1 premium. An excellent three hours for all of $7. Tourism on a shoestring.

Ta DA!!!

The disposal uses a 1/4 inch allen wrench. Just so you know. After fussing with the thing for half an hour (for today), and actually making headway (miniscule, but headway) I finally called in the reserves, the apt. manager. He was none too happy with assisting. But, he did come down and strong arm enough of the thing out that while he left for a moment to get gasoline, I mean a pair of pliers, I was able to coax the rest out.

I finally called in help. What is it with me getting around to asking for help? Took me long enough. But, ta da!!! Success! A special thank you for all who offered assistance both on this site and at KCL. Thanks to my friend in the warm and wonderful south for suggesting I tape the switch in the off position when I realized I couldn't unplug the unit. Thanks to my friends in the cold and north wet mountains for reminding me I may want to know where the water cut-off valves are (a funny story they tell very well - especially around the dinner table). And to a friend I've never met in Florida for suggesting an allen wrench that will actually fit. You guys are the greatest!

Okay, now I can think about setting up the christmas tree. That should keep me out of trouble for a little bit. Or not?

Happy Thanksgiving!

In true holiday fashion my disposal has a dish cloth stuck in it and is useless at this time. I realized today that this is a typical Thanksgiving tradition for me. The first year I did this it was celery that mucked up the works.

Thank goodness I was not hosting dinner at my house.

I have pulled out the trusty allen wrenches to see if I could do any further damage from outside the disposal unit. Nope. None of the wrenches fit into a solid footing from under the unit. I'll be back to broomsticks and tugging on the cloth tomorrow. Tonight I'm turning off the lights in the kitchen and turning on a movie. Yep, run away...my favorite method for tackling problems beyond my scope.

Update tomorrow :D

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Today's Fight

And the disposal is winning.

This morning I finally reached into the kitchen drain to see what the problem is. The drain has been slow. The garbage disposal has been making terrible noises and shaking the counter tops all week. I finally found why the disposal is mad at me. I shoved a brand new dish cloth down it. Surgery may be in order. After turning the blades "manually" with a broom stick (see fig. 1) I've been able to pull up quite a bit of the cloth. The project has, unfortunately, gotten quite tedious (read: I'm tired of goofing around with it). I'm beginning to believe it's time to unseat the disposal, cut away the wash cloth from both sides of the blade and reseat it.

This is gonna be a big deal, isn't it?

News "worth" reading

Yes, the story is sensationalized. But I like it anyway...

Judge blasts bad bank, erases 525G debt

Comments: 52

Judge KOs 525G mortgage to slap bank

By KIERAN CROWLEY, RICH WILNER and DAN MANGAN

Last Updated: 4:18 PM, November 25, 2009

Posted: 3:46 AM, November 25, 2009

• PRINT
• EMAIL
• SHARE
• RSS

A Long Island couple is home free after an outraged judge gave them an amazing Thanksgiving present -- canceling their debt to ruthless bankers trying to toss them out on the street.

Suffolk Judge Jeffrey Spinner wiped out $525,000 in mortgage payments demanded by a California bank, blasting its "harsh, repugnant, shocking and repulsive" acts.

The bombshell decision leaves Diane Yano-Horoski and her husband, Greg Horoski, owing absolutely no money on their ranch house in East Patchogue.

Spinner pulled no punches as he smacked down the bankers at OneWest -- who took an $814.2 million federal bailout but have a record of coldbloodedly foreclosing on any homeowner owing money.

YOU OWN IT: Greg Horoski won his battle to keep his Patchogue one-level ranch home, as a judge called OneWest bank's foreclosure efforts against Horoski and his wife "repulsive."

"The bank was so intransigent that he [the judge] decided to punish them," Greg Horoski, 55, said about Spinner's scathing ruling last Thursday against OneWest and its IndyMac mortgage division.

It erased up to $291,000 in principal and $235,000 in interest and penalties.

The Horoskis -- who had been paying only interest on their mortgage -- had no equity in the home.

Horoski, who had begged the bankers to let him restructure the loan, said, "I think the judge felt it was almost a personal vendetta." Dealing with the bank, he said, was "like dealing with organized crime."

OneWest said, "We respectfully disagree with the lower court's unprecedented ruling and we expect that it will be overturned on appeal."

It claimed it "has been extremely active in working with consumers on home loan modifications through the Obama administration's Home Affordable Modification Program and other loan modification initiatives."

The bank is owned by a private equity group that purchased the failed IndyMac bank.

Yano-Horoski, a college professor of English and cognitive reason, and Horoski, who sells collectible dolls online, bought their 3,400-square-foot, one-level house 15 years ago for less than $200,000.

In 2004, court records show, they refinanced, paying off their original mortgage with part of a $292,500 sub-prime loan from Deutsche Bank. They used what was left for health care and for his business.

The loan carried an initial adjustable interest rate of 10.375 percent, which soared to 12.375 percent.

It eventually ended up being either owned or serviced by IndyMac, and the bank sued the couple in July 2005 when they began having trouble making payments because of Horoski's health problems.

After a foreclosure was approved last January, Yano-Haroski successfully asked for a court settlement conference.

Spinner excoriated OneWest for repeatedly refusing to work out a deal, for misleading him about the dollar amounts at stake in the case, and for its treatment of the couple over months of hearings.

OneWest's conduct was "inequitable, unconscionable, vexatious and opprobrious," Spinner wrote.

He canceled the debt because the bank "must be appropriately sanctioned so as to deter it from imposing further mortifying abuse against [the couple]."

The bank is involved in a similar case in California, where it's trying to foreclose on an 89-year-old woman, despite two court orders telling it to stop.

kieran.crowley@nypost.com

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/judge_kos_mortgage_to_slap_bank_28ZS1oW8Y58z6gu1AQbWMI#ixzz0XuvtR3Ao

Is it Holiday time yet?

Something must have come loose in my brain. I'm thinking I may actually pull out the old boxed Christmas tree and set it up this year. I don't know what's gotten into me. I'm going to run with it anyway. I have no children around, mine or otherwise. I have no guests scheduled to pop in, even for an afternoon of coffeee and chitchat. I am currently without a paying job. I have no expectations to go gift shopping. In good old-fashioned grown children manner I'll be sending my brood money if I have any. Green gifts are good for the environment, you know. Oh yeah, I follow Buddhism as a matter of choice. AND YET, I am looking forward to Friday when it seems to be the first appropriate opportunity to set up the Christmas tree.

I'm looking forward to this Festival of Lights season. In only a month the days will be getting longer again anyway. Yes, time for the holidays~

The big belch

Advertising gone awry...

The sign reads, "So nice you'll taste it twice."

Possibly truth in advertising. I choose not to find out.

I'm Legal!

They can't kick me out any longer for being a slacker. I actually spent the time today getting a proper Washington State Driver's License. Most of the time I sat and waited for my number to be called. Amazingly, I did not fill out a single form. I took no test. I handed over my Wisconsin state license, my passport and a utility bill with my current address and the woman behind the desk did all the typing. She asked me if I've ever held a Washington state driver's license (no), do I want to be registered to vote (yes), do I want to be an organ donor (yes). I really only had to do three things...I did have to prove that I can see. I did have to sign two things, the card with the little yellow box and my check made out to DOL (which I take means Department of Licensing). Ta da. I got my picture taken and a paper copy of my license (mock-up proof style) until the real deal comes in the mail. As the woman handed me the paper license she even smiled and said, "Welcome to Washington."

I heard it on the radio this morning...I live in the North Wet!

Seattle Immigration Issues

I've gone underground today. Shhh, if the Seattle immigration officials come knocking on my door I'm going to be in deep. They'll find my three day old coffee grounds still in the coffee maker. They will see I have almost two cups of coffee left in my Thermos carafe. And they will know that this morning I had to have zapped my cup of coffee in the mircrowave.

Let me tell you, this is some good coffee...I'm ready to zap a fresh cup. shhhhh.....!!!

Sons & Mothers

My son moved away today. It's been a hard day for me. He, on the other hand, is wonderfully happy to be starting life again. More power to him.

Vaya con dios.

Excerpt...

For mom:

St. Wenceslaus Square looks so very far away from the Astronomical Clock on our tourist map. Yet, as I count it out it’s maybe all of seven blocks. On the map, the Square is pictured all the way in the bottom corner. It appears we will have a long cab ride to the hotel. I say this mostly because our hotel is not on the map. Supposedly, here at St. Wenceslaus Square is the subway we are to take. I worry our hotel is out in the god-forsaken suburbs. Not that I’ve seen a Czech suburb yet, but I’m sure they have one.

Yes, I take pictures of manhole covers.

Conflicted

Either way the game goes I win.

He's just so much fun to watch.

Frogs for Breakfast

Thursday I was stranded with only one book. How I got stranded with only one book to read (or not read) and more than enough time on my hands to read the whole thing is unimportant. It seems that the important thing is that ~ IF you are required to eat a frog, do it early, do it quick and don't waste your time staring at the frog it will only ruin your appetite.

I did not find a section on WHY one would be required to eat a frog. That doesn't seem to be the point.

In the meantime...I hope you each get done all those things you wanted to get done. (Thank you Brian Tracy for a quick lesson while I was so thoroughly bored.)

Chop Wood

Chop wood, haul water, achieve enlightenment, chop wood haul water.

It's somewhere there in the middle.

I'm off to go chop wood....

Apparently

Apparently there is nothing that cannot happen today.

~Mark Twain

Background thoughts

At the time of my divorce there was some discussion among my support group that I should recieve a half interest in the assets that I shared with my then husband. I had let my then husband know, and I firmly believed (still do) that I did not want to take the house from him, not the car, the van, the camper or any of the wonderful and expensive woodworking tools in the garage. I wanted him to have all those things he cherished and had worked for. I was willing to walk away. I firmly believed that I would be taken care of. I did not worry about how an equitable split would be made. My support group worried about the "how". I believed that an equitable division would occur I just didn't know how.

I spent many hours in prayer and reflection and no obvious answers came to me. I gave this over to the universe. I handed it over completely the night before we met at the lawyers office. When I woke the next morning and eventually went to meet with my then husband and our lawyer I did not allow any thoughts to come to me of how this would all work out. In fact, no thoughts regarding this quandary came up at all. As I sat next to my then husband in the lobby area of the offices my then husband pulled out a letter he had received since I had moved out. He handed it to me. He didn't say anything, yet he was giving it to me. What he handed me was basically half of what we had together. It is no business here exactly what was in the letter. Suffice it to say that with faith alone I had received what I didn't know to ask for. It was given to me. I never demanded a thing. It was offered. It was the most respectful thing my ex husband had done for me in a very, very long time. We could both walk away with our heads held as high as one can in these situations.

I feel like this now. I know something is happening. I don't know what. I don't want to ask for anything specific as something I may never have considered is in the background. I merely need to be in a place to receive when it comes to the foreground.

The "other" side of life

Here it is. The thought I was trying to get to while you were here.

I have visions that feel wonderful and right. It is the vision of money falling onto me, the sky full of money in floating bills down onto me. I am catching these bills, they fall into my hands and I am giving the money back out easily and effortlessly to little boxes that send the money back out again to the people that are asking for it, that I repay, and that I pay forward. There is just an unending stream of this money falling for me. Whatever it is I am doing to receive this money is enjoyable and a "god" given gift that encourages me to do more and receive more. This image that comes to me often these days, this image is what I wish to translate into an action. My question to "the all there is" is how do I make this come to pass? What "thing" is it that I do that is so inspiring that I can't help but do it? I have to bring this image out of the spiritual and into my life.

I know what it is. I do know. But, I haven't been able up until now to see, or to accept, or to do what that is. There is something shadowing this obvious answer. Something that keeps me from that firm and absolute belief. I would like to believe it is in my writing. I am getting closer to the "whatever" it is when I am writing. The first request to the spirit is then, Please, allow me to believe and then to see the actions that will bring this to pass. I am in the midst of surrendering. It feels right. It feels scary. In an exciting threshold sort of way. I ask then to allow me to allow myself to step over that threshold and make this my life in joy and peace.

The media does make light of this thought pattern and derisive comments. One more reason I am proud of myself for not having cable service.

The Rain has Begun

The rain has begun here in the Northwest. I have been counseled by three separate people to purchase Vitamin D in bulk to get through these next several months without wanting to slit my wrists in despair at the weather. Leaning over my balcony I see the grass and weeds are being replaced by mushrooms. There are all kinds of mushrooms peeking their varied heads up at me. Not quite the dandelions that over run the yard in July and August, more sublime in their coloring, but just as populace.

I do like it here in the Northwest. I do feel like I'm home. Time to pull out the books and label /name these beauties.

Waiting For the Library to Open

Every season is remarkable.

Pink petals in Spring and now in Autumn.
Red leaves to color the asphalt.
I wonder at what age a kid will now ask..."What's that?" It's Superman's dressing room, dear..."Who's he?"
Bears will always have the right of way.
Even at the library.

Suzi Homaker is Considering an Oil Change

But, Suzi being a single girl, is wondering about the used oil coming out of the vehicle. She is fortunate to live within walking distance of the oil recycling drop-off center. Disposing of the oil won't be a problem. Or will it? How does one get the used, gunky, dark and crusty oil to the drop-off center? I dunno.

Looking around the apartment for something to put the oil in, as it comes out of the vehicle and then to get it trasported to the drop-off, Suzi wonders if the plastic tub she uses for mixing floor cleaner and then mopping her kitchen and bathroom would work. Well, sure. Why not? Ever resourceful, Suzi is considering using plastic wrap to seal the oil in the tub until she can drive the block and a half to the center. Maybe "Press 'n Seal" would work better? If she drives less than 8 miles an hour it shouldn't slosh too much in the back of her car, maybe. Hmm, Suzi wonders, what cleaner will get the tub cleaned out enough to use it again for her floors?

What should Suzi use? Is she better with the "Press 'n Seal" or the plastic wrap? Should she drive the disgusting refuse to the center or walk it over? Can she drive less than 8 miles an hour without backing up traffic too much? If she walks it over to the center does she have cruddy enough clothes (and shoes) to be sloshed on? What cleaner will clean out the car after half the oil sloshes all over the floor from the two turns she needs to make to get to the center? Decisions, decisions.

Reading list

And so, I am between assignments for work. I get to sleep in. I get to take naps in the middle of the day. I am writing and cleaning. I am in a good mood and life is fine. I have time to meet new people and have. It's been interesting. Mostly, I've been reading.

Tom Robbins - Half Asleep in Frog Pajamas - What a great wordsmith. Oh, if I only had talent like that...

Jude Deveraux - High Tide - Romance novel with murder and suspense; what's not to like?

Huffinton Post Complete Guide to Blogging - About time I learned what the h*ll I'm doing.

Juan, The Craftsman

It was a project weekend last weekend. It was nice to have the full 3 day weekend, with Columbus Day in there for us Gov't workers. The result was wonderful. As each night passes since last weekend I am reminded how really wonderful it is. To have a bed, not just a mattress on the floor but a real live bed, is truly a thing that defines 'home'. A mental shift has occurred that I didn't know would happen. I now feel at home in this apartment. I feel a sense of place I didn't know was missing.

Juan, thank you. This is craftsmanship. For those of you just stopping in, the backstory is that Juan flew up last weekend from paradise to the cold, wet Northwest with the offer to build a bed for me. I took him up on the offer. I'm not generally one to ask or expect, much less accept, offers of help. Maybe I'm getting wiser as I get older. Although that statement may be pushing the envelope. This bed is a thing of beauty, comfort and functionality. The entire frame and headboard knocks apart to travel flat. Ikea...eat your heart out. I have a one of a kind, made by a friend, expressly for me, perfectly measured and built bed. What's not to love?

Juan sliding in the finishing piece.

My sanctuary

Life is good.

Juan, thank you. This is perfect. I mean that.

Señor Carpintero

Have carpenter will travel...

So many angles to assess...
Pieces to keep track of
Support beams to work in for a sturdy bed...

Finished piece to be posted sooon....