Well, brother Greg has gone back to Boston. It was good to see him. He came out for his 40th class reunion. I made sure to call him my much older brother while he was here, lol. I am still the pesky little sister when I have to be;-)

We had a small family reunion on Sunday.....Aunt Louise, Sheila, Denise, Myrtle, Wauhilla and various kids & grandkids came, along with Sue, Greg, Sue's kids & grandkids, and Chris, Joseph and me. It was so much fun. I took some old family albums along (I inherited my Mom & Dad's photo albums) It is nice looking back with people who were actually there. I realized how much my family means to me. Aunt Louise (and Uncle Sam) were such a big part of my growing up years. I miss seeing her. I do hope she moves down here.

Yesterday we all went to Sue's for a goodbye dinner with Greg. Lots of laughter there. I realized I am the baby sister....now matter how old I am;-) I stil lcatch crap from big brother and big sister...but luckily I heard no more about how awful I am for not calling Sue:/ Luckily her boys & their SO's know how she is....I got commended by Laura for putting up with it.

I have no choice:/

Today was back to the same old, same old. You know....the never ending pile of laundry. Where does it all come from??? There are only 3 of us here!


OMG....I almost forgot.....my son has a new gadget in his room....a black light. He belongs to another age, so my SIL says. He was born in the wrong decade;-)
It is pretty cool though;)

I have a phone phobia. Seriously.

I've not really thought much about it. I don't like talking on the phone. I haven't really, for years, but it has gotten really bad the past few years. I wish I knew why. I don't like getting phone calls....even from people I care about. I loathe making them. I feel like I am interrupting someone when I call....so I don't.

Most of my friends know this. They know if they want to get in touch with me, for any reason, that email is the best way to do it. I check my email a bazillion times a day, and it works for me. If they really need to talk to me, they give me a specific time to call them.......I manage to do it then. Its like an appointment. I called Sheri this morning and we talked for an hour. Once I get on the phone, I'm fine.....its just picking it up and dialing. I get sweaty palms, and dry mouth. Its a phobia.

The reason I'm blogging this is because my sister jumped my ass tonight for not calling her. We were at her house, and she was drinking.......

We were out on the front porch, and she actually started yelling at me, then apologizing for yelling, then telling me how angry she gets at me for not calling. She just kept asking me why I don't call. I don't KNOW. I just don't. Every time she would ask, getting louder each time, I could only say I. don't. know.

Maybe I need a shrink. It is certainly irrational to be afraid to pick up a phucking phone and make phucking phone call:/

I guess I can check into classes or something.........

I do know this....if you know someone who has a phobia.....don't yell at them about it. Chances are good they already know they have a phobia......getting bitched at does not help matters. All it does is make the person feel worse:/

WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD (George Weiss / Bob Thiele)

I see trees of green, red roses too
I see them bloom for me and you
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world

I see skies of blue and clouds of white
The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world

The colours of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces of people going by
I see friends shakin' hands, sayin' "How do you do?"
They're really saying "I love you"

I hear babies cryin', I watch them grow
They'll learn much more than I'll ever know
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world
Yes, I think to myself, what a wonderful world

Oh yeah


I love to listen to Louis Armstrong.
That song can bring tears to my eyes sometimes......

Isn't she beautiful? She was a kitty last year.....a darn cute one.




Kaya on Halloween 2003

Well, the scanner works;-)

I added some pictures. The first one is of Joseph with his "Uncle" Joey. It was taken at the Woodland Opera House after a show. The second one was taken the day of Joseph's Confirmation, and the last one was last year when we had Kaya staying with us.

I have a beautiful one of Kaya I will put in......you will be able to see what a doll she is. I miss that little girl :(

Joseph and Uncle Joey

Confirmation Day, March 31, 2004

Joseph and Kaya at Bonfante Gardens, 2003

Damn hand held poker game. I am addicted already. I went to Big Lots today and found one for $3.99. I have been playing it all evening. I'm doing good, too......I wish my luck was this good when I put $ in the machines at Tahoe or Reno;)

FAIR ENOUGH

I love the state fair:-) It is always so much fun. We went yesterday....walked all over, ate junk and looked at strange and wonderful things. I saw my earring lady, and bought 7 pair of earrings. (to be honest, 3 pair were on one card) We did a wheel of fortune at one booth....Chris got a trowel for the garden, and I got a cute egg whisk)

There is a baseball exhibit this year, as well as a civil rights exhibit. Its nice to get a little 'edumacation' along with your food on a stick. Chris' foot was bothering him pretty bad about 5 pm, so he left and didn't stay to see Rain play. He did talk to Steve and Casey for a few minutes though. Damn plantar fascitis....... I wish I could get him to take ibuprofen. He came home and iced his heel.

What a show the guys put on though! It was awesome! Oops....must back up though.

About 90 minutes before the show started (the guys couldn't set up or do sound check early...another band was on stage) JB realised that there was a piece of equipment he needed.....RK forgot to bring it (along with enough guitar stands) They sent Casey and me (and M) to Guitar Center to get said products......they didn't have the reverb whateveritwas, but we did get 5 guitar stands....and some batteries they needed. S called while we were comnig back......they also didn't have a piano stool! Oh well....he made do....by that time, it was only about 30 minutes to showtime, and Guitar Center was closed!

Mishaps and missing equipment aside, it was a fun night. I wore my "Liberal, and proud of it" button for a while, until J said *don't touch me*. I of course, touched him. Lots. Later he was tesing me....'you, you....liberal'. I just smiled and told him 'yeah, but you love me anyway'

I must say.....I am more than happy he is out from under another's thumb. He is back to being 'my' J. Well, not mine per se, but they way he used to be. Sweet, funny and loving.

Oh man....gotta go watch the Olympics. I hear the Russian wench fell off the uneven bars, and stormed out of the hall. Geeze....unsportsmanlike much?

TGIF

The boy and I both got haircuts this afternoon. He really needed one.....the curls were out of control! His hair looks good. He had them cut it a little shorter on the sides and back than before. Damn kid looks like a man now:/ Where did my baby boy go?

Mine was just trimmed. I am growing it out....I want to be able to put it up if I want to, but it had no shape at all, so I had her trim & shape it a bit. It kind of looks like Oprah's.....with bangs and kinda flippy.

Chris should be home soon......tonight is pizza night (yay) Round Table here we come!

After pizza we will go to the Creekwalk. I hope the band is good tonight. I forgot to look and see who is playing. Please....anything but country;/ Joseph is supposed to meet Derek.....but if it is a country band, we will not be staying long. There isn't enough beer for sale to make me listen to country music for very long;-)

One more thing (shameless patriotism here.....the Olympics bring it out in me, lol)
YAY Carly Patterson! WTG girl!!!

I Love Lake Tahoe

Tahoe was absolutely beautiful. The weather was perfect, and the days were so relaxing. We did some walking, a bit of window shopping in town, and a lot of reading. It was nice to get away for a week. The only bad thing were the squirrels who decided they wanted in the screen room of the tent.....(to get the pumpkin seeds that DH {not dear husband, either} had left in plain sight)....so they gnawed through the screen:/ Little fuckers. Now I have to go get some kind of a patch and sew it on.


Oh yeah, the shows at night were awesome:) Donna is an angel.....she seated us in the front row every night, no matter what our tickets said. Casey and I did well selling tee shirts/cds. hats/mugs after the shows. It was much better when the guys came out to sign autographs though. Joseph came to a show one night, then disappeared into the dressing room with S & JB. They are very impressed with his guitar skills, lol. J forgot the wahwah pedal he had promised Joseph, but brought it on Sunday. Speaking of J....he was back to his sweet self, thank goodness. Moody damn musician;-)

Casey and I went shopping on Sunday.....and were caught in one hell of a thunderstorm in Carson City! The freaking lights went out in the store while we were there. It didn't stop us though;-)

Came home on Monday, then went straight down to R& E's in Santa Cruz to celebrate Chris' birthday.....which was yesterday. They bought him a Jacaranda tree.....I was jazzed! We have admired those every time we go to L. A. We just have to decide where to plant it......

Today was spent doing laundry. Oh joy, oh bliss. Not really;) I wish I could send my laundry out to be done. Denine?

The only thing about Chris taking yesterday off.......I feel all discombobulated. It feels like Monday......and I hate Mondays;)

Bad Blogger, Bad.
I have been a bad blogger this week. I didn't realize it had been since Monday or something since I blogged. I kept putting it off because I didn't think I had anything worth blogging. *Sigh*

It really has been slow around the old homestead this week. Let me see if I can remember any highlights.......

Hmm. There was the day that Chris brought home a printed email he got at work from his associate....it was very nice. It was all about what kind of herbs I should be taking for menopause. It even gave him the brand name and how to buy them. Gee, I wonder how Charlie knows I am going through menopause? Wasn't it sweet of my dear husband to let someone (who I don't know well at all) know personal stuff about me??? Maybe I can poll my friends about a problem he is having, and give him the results of what they think. After all.....it is just being helpful, right???

I had a parents meeting at Jo's house for youth group.....somehow I have been named a parent leader. I am on the inside as far as budget and planning goes now. How the hell did that happen?? I guess that's what I get for volunteering;-)

I am surrounded by assholes.

Not only has dh been an ass this week (besides the menopause thing.....he has been a grouchy ass for 2 days....he really needs this vacation), but yesterday Joseph and I went to Santa Rosa to see the guys play. After dealing with the assholes on the freeway (do they really need to ride my bumper?) J was being an arrogant ass. Ugh. Sometimes.........I could just smack the crap out of him.

Hopefully my mood will improve this week. We leave for Tahoe tomorrow for 5 days of 'city camping' (actually, I leave tomorrow....Chris and Joseph come up on Monday) It should be fun, and relaxing. I made sure Chris packed the lounge in the truck.....the better for an aftenoon nap. (And I won't be camping tomorrow, LOL....I will be in a nice hotel......) I'm looking forward to seeing Casey and the guys too. Hopefully, J will be over his 'assholyness'. If not, screw him:/

I am also hoping Chris gets to relax. Believe me, he needs it:/

MONDAY, MONDAY

It was a pretty nice weekend. Friday, Joseph and I went up to Sheri's for the day. We went to Nordstrom Rack and picked up a few things. He got a pair of red checked Vans....$19.99. I found a very cute skirt, and I also picked up a couple of things for Christmas gifts. We got home right before Chris got home from work...and we all went to Round Table for our weekly pizza. We tried the 'skinny' crust.....not too bad. Of course, the carbs we didn't get from the pizza crust, we did get from the Coors Light, lol.

From there we went to the Creekwalk to listen to the band play. I don't know the name of the band performing then, but they were pretty good. Chris & I sat and listened to music while Joseph got to visit with some friends.

Chris had to work (both Saturday and Sunday), so Joseph & I pretty much relaxed both days. I did go to Ross and get a few things on Saturday.....then hit Goodwill on Sunday.

Joseph played guitar again at Mass, then played a new song at youth group afterwards. He is supposed to be the guitar player this Sunday evening, but we are supposed to already be in Tahoe. *Sigh* If he really wants to play, then I will go up Sunday, and Chris & Joseph will come up Monday morning. Its all depending on whether or not Joe really wants to play Sunday....

As for today....its Monday. What more can I say.....cleaning and errands.

I have been able to take a few breaks during the day to peruse the latest forum debates. Gotta love abortion debates:/ Especially the ones who love to tell you that "a Christian CAN'T be pro choice". Wrong again, o young ones. *Sigh* When I was 22 though, I also thought I knew everything;-)