I feel blue today.  There really isn't a good reason for it, but I've just felt really bummed out all day.  I have so much to be thankful for, and nothing to complain about really....just bummed. I don't like that. 

Saturday-

I worked from 10 to 5:30.  That was fine.  We did the usual paperwork shuffle, and had breakfast and lunch.  The lady who I work on every other weekend for is my old divorce lawyer.  I've been working there with her for 4 years or so now...but just 2 days a month.  I do it on the Saturdays when I don't have my son.  She is retired from practicing law now-but still in the process of cleaning up her office and she always has a million other little projects going on, so I help her with those.  She is also a good friend at this point, so it is a good thing.  I will admit that there are times when the last thing I want to do is wake up on my day off and go to a different job, but I have nothing to complain about when there are so many people who have lost their jobs and are unable to even find one job, let alone two.  My full time employer does not know about the part time one though...it doesn't matter-it doesn't affect them and there is no conflict of interests...but I know they would be offended anyway.  At least they would have in the past, and at this time I see no need to share the info!

After I left her office, I met with D from church.  We were going to go see a movie but decided against that and went walking on one of the park trails instead.  Then came back here and just watched a movie on TV, after picking up chicken from the drive through at a fast food place near here.  It was fine, and I was in bed by 10:30.  Yay!!!

Sunday-

Church!  I helped pass out fliers at the end to advertise for the Shoebox program for the year.  We have always just done individual boxes in the past but this year we are turning it into a bulk process, and so we'll be collecting one item each month and filling multiple boxes at the end of the year.  It is exciting... I can't wait to see if we meet our goal.  I signed on to help organize it, along with one other lady.  It is neat to get involved.  I am glad that I am doing that-I've always wanted to in the past, but now this year am determined to get out of my shell a little bit and do all the things I've always meant to do.  In doing so, I seem to be gaining many more projects, but that is ok.  In fact, yesterday I got an email from the church secretary to ask if I will join the nursery coordinating team, because the current leader isn't able to handle it all on her own.  I said that I will, so I'll be meeting with some of them from church pretty soon to find out what they want me to do.  I personally think the reason the lady is having so many problems is because she demanded people sign up for nursery duty when they didn't want to, and so half her people quit on her, and now she can't find replacements who are willing to help her.  I'm not sure why they picked me to help her out, but we'll see how it goes

After church I had lunch at Chipotle, and then went and picked weeds from the front yard of my old house.  That was actually very satisfying, and I felt happy for having done it.  Then came home and did laundry, cleaned the apartment, and cooked my recipe of the week, which was Cajun Casserole.  It has a corn bread bottom, and is topped with ground beef mixed with diced tomato, tomato paste, mixed veggies, and Cajun seasoning, and then topped with cheese.  It turned out really great!  I was afraid the cornbread would get soggy, but it didn't.  I'll put it in my "make these again sometime" recipe book rather than just putting it away.  Nice!

This evening I went to the store-in fact I just got home from there.  Oh, I also signed up for my third and final math class for my college.  Yikes.  I dislike math with a passion, so this class won't be my favorite, but better to just get it out of the way so I can move on to more fun things.  !!

OK, I better get going-laundry needs to be switched! 

I hope everyone had a spectacular weekend!

There were 4 people out from work today so the rest of us had a busy day covering for them.  It actually wasn't too bad...it was very steady and busy without being overwhelming.  I thought, at least.  Perhaps there were others who would disagree. 

Tonight I had dinner with D from church.  We tried a new place called Le Chalet.  It is a fondue and crepe place.  I had never been there before.  I liked the ambiance, and the food was good, but not great.  I'd rate it a 6 out of 10.  I can't remember the name of what I tried-it was a puff pastry of some sort, but flattened, with a sour cream sauce of some sort, and then cheese, bacon, and apples on top of it.  I really liked it.  D liked what he had too, which was some meat concoction.  It tries my patience to listen to him order a meal out, because he is so unbelievably picky.  It is not an attractive quality, I can tell you that!

I am watching Pride & Prejudice right now.  When we went to visit the babysitter yesterday, she and I were discussing movies and she thought I should watch this, and so she sent me home with her copy.  I didn't really necessarily plan to watch it tonight but then I figured it was silly to go to bed at 8:00 on a Friday night, so I decided to watch this instead. Now I am all caught up in watching Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy fall for each other.  I read this book YEARS ago, but I had forgotten how it went, so maybe things will take an unexpected turn of events and she will fall for someone else.  Who knows?

Also while watching, I fried up some hamburger for this week's recipe.  I can't remember the name of it, but it has a cornbread bottom, and then a mixture of hamburger, mixed veggies, cheese, and tomato paste for the topping.  It looks very good.  I hope that the cornbread bottom doesn't get soggy-but we'll see! 

In the morning I will be at job #2 by 10:00 and then have plans to go hiking on my favorite mountain after that.  I will probably get off by 5:00pm, which should leave over an hour of daylight.  I think I can make it to the mountain and around, so long as I take the bottom trail.  I'm really looking forward to going, as I haven't been in months. 

I read a quote yesterday-don't remember who said it, but it was like this:  "If someone wants to be a part of your life, they will make an effort to be in it, so don't bother reserving a space in your heart for someone who doesn't want to stay."   What do you all think of that? I think there is something to be said for it, although I think we need to not harden our hearts TOOO much.  I've been guilty of that.  

Currently Pride & Prejudice By Keira Knightley, Matthew Macfadyen, Talulah Riley, Rosamund Pike, Jena Malone see related

Well-I took the advice of some of you and stayed friends with the guy on Facebook, but made it to where I can't see anything he posts or does unless I actively go looking.  Yay!  I feel very relieved about that decision.  I just don't want to see it.

Today was a good day!  I took it off work because this is my son's spring break week and I wanted to hang out with him.  We went to the Lorax movie last night-which was actually very good.  I didn't really think I would like it because I am not a Dr. Seuss fan at all, but it was actually very, very good!  It had a good message and it was fun and funny.... and it was brightly colored, which I appreciate.  Anyway, today we slept in, went to the park and played and had lunch there, and then went to visit the little man's old babysitter.  I don't even know why I call her that, other than specification purposes.  At this point, she isn't a babysitter, she is our friend.  And a good one too!

I am reading a new book called Miss Julia Takes Over.  It is kind of a weird little book, but I'll finish it.  It seems to be one of a series, but I don't know. I think I got it at a yard sale.  In fact, I know I got it at a yard sale. Miss Julia is one bossy and critical character.

The temperature was great here today! I wore a short sleeve top and I didn't even need a jacket.  Well, not a tank top but not a t-shirt either.  Kind of in the middle.  Anyway, it was nice outside.  Good for tanning if you are in to that kind of thing.  I tend to burn and peel rather than tan, plus I'm scared of getting skin cancer, so I don't lay out and try to tan like some people do.

Tomorrow is Friday, which is nice, but I am working all day Saturday at job #2, so not a big deal for me.  I guess the Saturday thing isn't bad though ,because I don't go until 10, so I do sleep a bit longer than usual.

I'm so thankful for this day,and for my son, and my family and friends.  There are lots of people going through lots of things, and I'm really very blessed, and I want to make more of an effort to remember that every single day.        

Currently Miss Julia Takes Over By Ann B. Ross see related

Well, here is something I've been seeing on Facebook for quite some time that makes me want to barf.  And what do I do about it?  Hmmm.. I still haven't made up my mind.

A LONG time ago-I was in a relationship with a guy that I knew growing up.  His family was friend with my family, etc.  We always did everything together growing up.  At the time we were little kids, we never dated or anything like that, and went our separate ways after highschool.  He was a juvenile delinquent or sorts, and I went and got married.  I didn't talk to him for years and years but I have always stayed in touch with his mom.  She filled me on on his stuff and we sort of kept in touch through her.  

After my divorce he and I got together for awhile, but lived in different states.  He got freaked out because of the distance.  There was stuff in his life that would not allow him to move to where I live, and because of my son, I couldn't move to where he lived.  So he freaked out and didn't want to wait, and he ended that.  He ended it poorly, and the way he did it was to simply disappear from my life.  He stopped calling/texting/anything at all.  Then 2 years later, he popped into my life again through Facebook.  I didn't accept his friend request for a long time because my feelings were very badly hurt by the little fling that he ended so poorly before.  Anyway, eventually we did start talking and I saw him a few times.   He moved to the state where I live, although it is about 2 hours from my place.  We stayed in touch, but nothing happened because I was in a relationship and living with T at the time.  I was angry with him, and hurt by him and didn't know exactly how much to let him back into my life because I was afraid that he would hurt me again, even if just on the friendship level.

In October, when I broke off with T and moved and got my life back on track, he got back in touch more seriously, and sent me this pages long letter through Facebook about how much he loved me, and he would never want to be with anyone else, and blah blah blah.  2 weeks after that, he started posting pictures of himself with another girl on his FB page.  Now they are engaged and so I am constantly seeing the photos of them together, their engagement photos, their barfy comments back and forth bout how much they love each other, etc.  Now, I know that I pretty effectively ran him off, because I was in just such a personal mess that I didn't know how to respond to his undying love for me (barf again) and so I kind of just ... didn't. I understand that part of it, and really, I know that he has been bad for me at different times, and treated me badly, but somehow with him, when we have been together, it just never mattered.  He knows me like no one else ever has, without trying at all. 

Anyway, I get that he is engaged, and that is fine..it makes me sad, and it makes me mad, and it makes me want to just vomit that he was able to completely forget what he said to me and start dating someone two weeks later, and then subsequently get engaged to someone.  Now,  I am torn between wanting to defriend him, and not have to see all that crap, and being happy for him, because no matter what, he has always been in my life and he is important to me even when it makes absolutely no sense.  What to do? What to do? 

And in honor of the most recent engagement photos of the two of them : BARF BARF BARF BARF BARF.  VOMIT.

How about that for a vent? 

I know that Knickers put a note on one of my posts that said she could not get in to the Stephanie Plum series.  I think that is a dirty shame.  I loved them!  I think they are fantastic and very funny!  I just finished the Plum Spooky one, which is a between the numbers book.  It was great fun.  They always make me laugh.  I can't remember which book is next in my book lineup. I hope it is good.

The recipe of the week for last week was a chocolate mess.  It was out of my chocolate lover's cookbook.  I am not a chocolate lover at all, but my grandma gave me the book so I hate to get rid of it. Maybe I should gift it to someone I know. Hmm.  In the meantime, I am keeping it in my cookbook rotation.  I don't remember the name of the recipe but the ingredients were cornflakes, chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butterscotch chips.  You melt everything and then mix in the cornflakes and put it in a pan for bars.  I didn't happen to have any butterscotch chips so I substituted peanut butter chips.  They look ok, but I don't really care for that much chocolate so I didn't try one.  I will take them to work tomorrow and let the vultures eat them.

I have finally (with help from all my Xanga friends) perfected my cat litter regimen.  I bought Tidy Cat litter.  I have two boxes, so I scoop them daily, at least once, and sometimes twice.  As soon as I scoop, I spray two squirts of Febreeze near the box openings, and then one squirt into the air.  It seems like the magic combination.  Boy, I love cats but I Do NOT love cat litter stench.  I think I have two of the world's stinkiest cats.

Tonight I am going walking at the park with a friend.  That will happen at 6:30.  I think tomorrow I'm going to see if she is available to go earlier.  The second friend who normally goes usually can't make it before then because of work issues. 

Hmm.  Nothing else right now I guess.

A fundraiser was held tonight at a pizza place to raise money for my son's school.  We went up there after he finished his homework.  We had a good time.  My friend from church came and my son had a great time running around with his friends.  That was nice. 

Have done a couple loads of laundry tonight, and paid some bills.  Not bad for a Tuesday night, I suppose!

My sister emailed and said that the celebrity couple Jennie Garth and Peter Facinelli are divorcing.  I think that is sad-I thought they were a good couple and they have been married for 11 years.  Makes you wonder, doesn't it?  I mean, it makes you wonder no matter who the couple is-celebrity or not.  Just sad.

Hmmm...nothing much else,I think!  Off to read my book before bedtime

Currently Plum Spooky (Stephanie Plum Series) by Janet Evanovich see related

I was super excited yesterday to finally find and purchase the cutest little kitchen table!  We have been eating off the coffee table since moving here because I had wanted to find just the right table.  Finally made that happen!  I think I went to about 15 stores before it was all said and done!  I actually found 3 sets that I wanted but each one was out of stock and I really didn't want to have to order one and wait for it to come in-so I finally found this set and begged the man running the store to give me the display model, which was excellent because the chairs were already put together, and the table didn't even have any scratches at all on it!  Nice!!!

It is amazing how quickly the days go by.  This morning was so busy, by the time I looked up it was already 11:00!  It makes it nice when time goes by at work so fast, but I sure do wish it would it slow back down a little when I get home! 

Do you think it is socially acceptable for someone to call you or text you and ask if their child can come to play at YOUR house, rather than inviting your child to their house to play?  I mean...I guess I don't mind, but I do think it is a bit strange. I would never call someone up and ask if my son could go over to their house (unless I was actually asking for babysitter-in which case I would arrange it in advance, with payment included).  But there is someone who my son is friends with, and his mom has sent a text twice now asking if her son can come and play with mine.  At my house.  I find it so strange.  Today I had other things going on, so I didn't answer until just a few minutes ago, and I said that I had been occupied at the time so it wouldn't work, but that perhaps another day we could get them together later in the week.  She is very nice and responded almost immediately, so we have already arranged another playdate. 

Well, guess I'll go finish things up and that way will be ready for bed at bedtime rather than later!

Oh, knickers asked if I like Plum Spooky-and I do!  I love that series.  I think it is fantastic....

This has been a pretty good, and VERY busy week! 

I kept my goal and exercised 3 times this week-and it is only Thursday, so I suppose I could always get in one more day before the end of the weekend... hmm.  Anyway, I feel good about that.

Tonight I have been really busy!  I went to a couple stores looking at kitchen tables- but the only one I found that I liked was out of stock so I either have to go back on Sunday for it, or else find something else.  I really would like to get that taken care of.  I also looked on craigslist to see if anyone was selling one there but nothing that suited what I need.  Also went to the park and walked with friend, and then came home and have started laundry and scrubbed one of the toilets out. Huh...somehow I sounded much more productive in my head...when I typed it all out, I guess I haven't really done all that much, have I? 

I have thought and said a few times lately that I feel like people must follow me around with a camera just to film me doing weird things and laugh at me later.  Today I caught myself in another one of those situations.  I went to the store to look at tables, and I had my son with me.  He had asked if he could get a soda from the machine by the door, so I dug out a handful of quarters and off we went.  He put one quarter in the slot and it got stuck... I thought I could get it to slide down by tapping on the side...but that didn't work.  It just slid a little further in but still didn't go down.  SO I pressed my nose up to the slot to figure out what the heck was going on.  Inside I could see two or three quarters and for some reason, a penny.  Still-I thought this soda machine couldn't outsmart me, so I dug through my purse and got out a pair of tweezers.  Then I stood there pinching around inside the machine with my tweezers... I never did get anything out.  After about 5 or 6 minutes I stopped and realized that I looked absolutely ridiculous, and wasn't even close to getting any money back out-so I gave up, and he got a soda from the other machine. 

Oh, I took the advice of several people here on Xanga and purchased Tidy Cat cat litter tonight.  I scooped and filled both litter boxes with that... I'm hoping for the best!  I've decided that my cats have the stinkiest poop ever.  I also think that they see it as a personal challenge to immediately poop up the box AS SOON as I'm done scooping and cleaning.  It never fails!  Silly kitties.

OK, off I go!

Currently Plum Spooky (Stephanie Plum Series) by Janet Evanovich see related

Today was a pretty good day!  I woke up in the middle of the night...well, actually I guess early this morning...at 3:30am.  That didn't make me so happy, but I went back to sleep for another hour or so, and then got up.

Stopped for gas on the way to work, and still had time to swing through the drive through ATM at the bank. I had to pull out cash to pay the cleaning company to go service the rental house.  That is something I've never done before, is hire a cleaning company.  Honestly, I just didn't have it in me to tackle that project-and my ex husband was nice enough to offer to pay the bill for a cleaner.  I definitely think it was worth it, because these people have been over there cleaning ALL day long for $180.  The realtor checked in on them and said they are doing an amazing job.  I guess they used an entire bottle of cleaning solution on the shower door that I had previously thought would be ruined forever, and he said it turned out so well that I won't need to replace it at all.  Thank goodness! Hopefully that is another expense avoided. 

After work I went to the post office where I had to mail a package to a friend.  A very delayed package, I might add. I feel terrible about that-but at least it is on it's way now!

I went ahead and pulled in to the store on my way after that because I figured if I didn't get it done I wouldn't want to go back-and I needed some food for the week

Now waiting just a few more minutes and I'll be heading up to the park to go for a walk with a friend.  We've planned to walk 3 days this week and try to get on some sort of regular schedule for that so that we do not become lazy!  I love to go so I'm all for it.  If she ever decides to bail out, I'll probably just go on my own, or substitute rollerblading for one night.  I love rollerblading.  I got re-inspired to exercise three times a week a couple weeks ago when helping a friend move.  I am in embarrassingly bad shape. Time to do something about it!

I had a piece of string cheese for a snack when I got home but I don't know what I'll have for dinner yet.

Started a new book today! Plum Spooky.  It is a between the numbers novel in the Stephanie Plum series.  I think I mentioned previously that I went to see the Stephanie Plum move and loved it.  Such fun!

Let's see...  I guess I don't know too much else....better get busy!

Currently Plum Spooky (Stephanie Plum Series) by Janet Evanovich see related