Vegas again?

Since my last post on Monday July 24, I've been a bit busy and by that I mean BUSY.

Jul 25-28
*sort thru 87 emails
*update my check register (and by that I mean, figure out how much I spent in Dallas and how long it'll take me to get out of debt)
*work on bookkeeping client
*deliver some Mary Kay product
*respond to emails & let people know I wasn't ignoring them
*drive Wayne to baseball camp
*print a zillion escrow docs for my dad's house, sign 'em, and fax 'em somewhere
*answer phone calls re: my dad's house from realtor, gardener, escrow agent, horse corral renter and make about a million decisions
*while doing all of the above, watch 5 days of TiVo’d programs
*pick Wayne up from baseball camp
*get hair cut and colored
*play baseball with Wayne
*go out for drinks with friends
*re-acquaint myself man friend
*meet with new bookkeeping client
*work at another client’s office
*pick up Wayne at friend’s house and take 3 young rowdy boys to Mickey D’s
*forget to write down my hours for bookkeeping clients
*print more escrow docs, sign ‘em, & fax ‘em
*make more decisions about my dad’s house, talk to everyone about it
*pay dad's bills
*go out for more drinks, discover the Key Lime Pie Martini, & spend time with man friend
*do laundry and pack for Vegas


Jul 28 – Aug 2 (VEGAS BABY)
*get my son on an airplane
*walk thru casinos and show son all the games he CAN’T play
*share hotel room at Excalibur with friend and her two daughters
*see Mama Mia (excellent talent)
*walk thru casinos
*breathe in lots of second hand smoke
*sit poolside and drink $13 Pina Coloda
*walk thru casinos
*buy lots of stuff
*breathe in more second hand smoke and some first hand smoke too
*see Mystere (amazing, amazing, amazing)
*get tattoo
*walk thru casinos and buy more stuff
*take calls from realtor & make more decisions about my dad’s estate
*watch Volcano erupt at Mirage
*pass out on hotel bed
*go to Titanic exhibit
*walk in Vegas heat
*be thankful for A/C in casinos
*eat at $25 buffet
*take more calls re: dad escrow etc.
*give son too-much-money-to-count to play at arcade and win 7 stuffed animals
*make up song with friend that goes: “let’s spend some more money, money we don’t have, money we haven’t made yet……………….oh goodie more stuffed animals”
*sit poolside with another $13 Pina Coloda
*watch tattoo wash off
*hang out with 15 yr old X-sister-in-law (my son’s aunt), her mom, and my x-father-in-law
*spend more money at the arcade at NY NY
*walk thru more casinos
*pose for pictures with Thunder Down Under stripper guys
*drag everyone to the Shark Reef aquarium at Luxor (loved it)
*pass out on hotel bed
*buy more stuff & sing song (see above)
*pack for leaving and wonder where I can get another suitcase for stuffed animals
*watch 3D iMax movie called Deep Sea (very, very, very cool)
*get son on airplane
*get online, catch up on blogs, flickr, emails & myspace (save pic of us with strippers & upload to my flickr)
*pass out on my bed

Aug 3-4
*sleep 'till noon and leave son waiting at baseball camp
*sort thru 66 emails
*work on bookkeeping clients
*respond to emails and let people know I wasn’t ignoring them
*print escrow docs, sign ‘em and fax ‘em
*answer calls about dad’s estate and make more decisions
*start on piles of laundry
*start watching 5 days of TiVo'd programs
*go out for dinner and drinks
*re-acquaint myself with man friend
*meet with new bookkeeping client
*print LAST of escrow docs, sign ‘em, & fax ‘em
*pick up house and mop bathroom floor
*try to fill in timesheet for last two weeks
*start uploading pics to kodakgallery.com
*talk to friends & family, and tell them I still love them even though I haven’t called
*go to dinner & drinks with man friend
*do more laundry
*plan for trip to dad's house tomorrow to pack shit since I haven't managed to do it all (& renting back house for 10 days to complete task)
*read blogs
*BLOG

weather report

I just spent 5 days in Dallas. It was ridiculously hot and humid but that's expected, huh? Why is it so hot and humid here? The humidity is currently 72% and will be 100% at 5am. WTF is with the humidity? The high today was 95 and inside my house was 90. I was dreaming of that A/C pumping like in TX. I went grocery shopping instead. Thank gawwwd for big 'ole chilly grocery stores.

Why, you ask, did I go to Dallas in July? Did I lose my mind? Well, maybe. I joined about 40,000 women for the annual Mary Kay Seminar. I'm guessing I've never been surrounded by so much estrogen in my life! The most interesting part of these seminars is hearing the women telling their stories. Most of them are rags to riches stories but what strikes me is the common thread that all women seem to share. Women struggle with the same multi-tasking life!

I had never been to TX and was looking forward to hearing the southern drawl. I ended up talking with so many women from all over the country, from Louisiana to Minnesota. So many accents. I said "totally" and "like" alot so they'd know I was from CA.

Good luck ya' all staying cool.

Dear Blog

Dear Blog,

Hello? Yes; it's me. I know it's been a long time. I've been so busy..........not blogging. Yes I know I'm usually "busy" but this time I've been away from my computer/my friend. I've missed you but I had places to go, people to see, & things to do (or was that: people to do and things to see?;-).
I was gone for 5 days last week, and I'm leaving for 5 days again soon, and then I'm home for 5 days, and then gone for 5 days. I'm seeing a pattern here. In between all that travel has been work and fun and sleep and food.
I have so much to tell you but most of it will have to wait........until another time..........or another place. Just know that I think of you often and I won't be gone for long.
I have pictures. I share a lot of them on kodakgallery.com so if you haven't gotten my million links and you feel left out; lemme know for gawwd's sake. I also post a few to my flickr.

XXOO
Me

Sand

I said, "you've got sand in your ears".
My son said, "I've got sand EVERYWHERE".
I replied, "If you had gone swimming, you'd have sand in your buttcrack too".

I had to educate my son because he doesn't have much experience with the beach. It's only 10 min. from our house but we rarely go. I know you think we're crazy, but I've got plenty of reasons........um I mean excuses. First, it's either foggy and cold, or it's hot enough for me to sunburn in 30 min (after I apply the 50 SPF). And the water is cold except for maybe 2 days outa' the year. Fog does scary things to my hair, and I get the kind of sunburn that hurts for days and then itches.

And YET I had fun tonight...................at the beach, with a bonfire, bbq, smores, good company, and SAND. I had sand in my food, in my shoes, in my eyes, and I haven't even dug into the rats nest that sits on my head. Summertime is COOL.

My daddy's birthday was today. He would have been 89. He loved his house by the beach. He didn't mind the fog. I miss you every day, daddy. I will enjoy the beach and the fog, and LIVE each day to the fullest. For you. For my son. To honor the life you gave me.

What happens in Vegas, is quickly uploaded

So I'm not sure what Vegas pictures I'm goin' upload to my blog or my flickr yet 'cause I'm frankly not as bold as Dooce.com. Lifting your skirt up on the Vegas strip at 4am or visiting male strip clubs may not be for everyone.

However, I tried to find a cool pic of the Cirque du Soleil show I saw. It just opened and it's called The Beatles LOVE. It was an amazing show. It's a must-see for anyone even remotely aware of the importance of The Beatles and that time in our history.

Needless to say I had FUN and blew off some steam, in addition to spending boatloads of money. Whatever happened to the $2.99 buffet?

Updates and more

Correction to my last post: "THE WIZARD SAYS GO AWAY". That was my son's line in the play tonight. He had another line that was added but I can't remember all of it. The things actors put up with. Jeez.

The play was so good. I can't tell you how impressed we all were. I have no idea how they remembered all those lines. Obviously I never considered a career in acting.

My horoscope (which I faithfully check each Thursday at http://www.freewillastrology.com) says: This would not be a good week to cast a curse on God in revenge for what you think are his mistakes. Nor would it be a favorable time to draw blasphemous cartoons of saints, or pretend that atheism is any less of a faith-based belief system than religion. In fact, if I were you, Capricorn, I would utter a few prayers, purify your motives, and do some really good deeds--just in case there's even a slim possibility that divine help is abundantly available to you right now. (P.S. From what I can tell, there's more than a slim possibility.)

I sure hope my horoscope lets me know WHEN it is a good time to draw blasphemous cartoons of saints. And for gawwwd's sake (not to be confused with cursing the big "G"), how will I "utter prayers and purify my motives" this weekend in Vegas?? I think I'll cast a curse on Brezsny now.

The First Time

I just spent a few hours helping to paint the set for my son's Wizard of Oz play. I've NEVER painted a set. How FUN to paint something that only needs to look good from FAR away. My munchkin is playing the "gate guard" and his one line is "Go away. The wizard does not want to see you" or something like that. I will of course video tape the whole thing and keep it for the E!True Hollywood Story.

Let the Ramblings begin.... My week has been so weird so far. Monday morning started with my left eye watering, and watering, and watering. I took a Claritin but it didn’t stop the flood gates; just made me ADHD (I swear I’m such a cheap date). I got no work done ‘cause I couldn’t sit at my computer long enough to do anything. Plus the light from the computer screen was actually bothering my eye and it was starting to ache. By 5pm I called Sandy since she’s worked for an opthamologist since the beginning of time. “Typical patient”, she said, “doesn’t call until 5pm”. She, of course, said I probably left my contact in too long, which she has warned me about a zillion times. But did I listen………oh nooooo; after 15 years of contact use, I think I’m such a smarty pants.
Tuesday was spent with more eye watering, and begging rides from friends to get me to the doctor. He gave me some drops with a wonderful anti-inflammatory steroid and antibiotics. The sunlight is “bad” for my eye, so I’ve closed all the blinds and I’m now living like a bat. I have to wear my glasses for at least a week, which so doesn’t fit into the Vegas weekend coming up, but dark casinos and nightclubs do. ;-))

Today was spent in my bat-cave, talking with every family member and working on my dad’s estate, with the tiniest bit of work thrown in. Tomorrow I gotta go to the laundromat ‘cause I blew up my dryer and then Fri. is off to my “what happens in Vegas” weekend. Wish me luck getting some work done.

Good advice

My horoscope this week:
"Race car drivers say that if you're heading toward a wall," writes philosopher Jonathan Zap, "don't look at it. Instead, look at where you want to go." That's good advice for you in the coming week, Capricorn.

This reminds me of the lessons I got from my father when we went miniture golfing. He told me to look at the ball, and then as I swing, look at where you want the ball the go. I'd rather think about the ball than "heading towards a wall". Ouch.........the wall makes me tense up and squeeze my eyes shut. Which reminds me of the car accident I was in a year ago, where it helped that I was watching the road ahead of me and unaware of the guy barreling into the back of me. So not only can you not control what's coming up behind you, but you can't control where the walls are. You must look at where you want to go and your body will follow. Good imagery for the roadway of life.

my twins

I met "my twins" in highschool. I was 16. I could barely tell them apart back then. We have been good friends for 25 years. WOW. How time flies.

This weekend I went to Chico to celebrate Linnea's wedding reception. She and her hubby had a son two years ago, got married a year ago, and decided it was high time to have a party.

It was a beautiful party at her friend's house, which happened to be a walnut farm in Chico. For more pics, check out my flickr.

Admiring the tree

We planted a Coastal Live Oak at my sister's ranch in honor of my dad at the memorial services we had last weekend. We buried a pair of his running shoes and his pipe with the tree.

A friend of my sister's was on her way to visit her this week, and told her my father's spirit came to her. She said he kept telling her she needed to stop and get a tree to take to the ranch. He told her to get a big tree that would be good for providing shade after a good run. She didn't know about the tree we planted or that he was a runner.