As a new California resident, I preformed my civic duty and filed some taxes. In my mailbox today, I was greeted with what I like to think of as my official welcome to the state. My tax refund check.
All three dollars.
Oh yeah. I'm getting a latte!
I just spent the last three hours following various men around the house that may shortly become our home. The foundation guy found a minor terrarium environment under the part of the house that used to be a sleeping porch (or a TB porch, using the foundation guy's words). The soils guy discussed hydrostatic pressure and assumed that I knew what was good rock to be on during an earthquake (the house has the good stuff-FYI). The sewer guy used his nifty little camera and a black and white monitor to show us root balls and a pipe to nowhere.
There were also some baby birds nesting on the side of the house and a hawk holding something as it flew overhead...both of which I decided were good signs as I sat in the car preparing myself to pull away from inspection-palooza.
It's kind of amazing to 1. engage in the learning curve that comes when purchasing a house and 2. think that my life could involve this next step. I never really thought it would and in almost exactly one month, we could get keys to our home. Well, I would have to get the keys because Dave will be on location. Crazy.
The enormity of the situation made a G&T a necessity. At the suggestion of my friend Laurie, I'm also using Rufus Wainright to sooth the nerves.
During a conversation with a friend about relationships and life in general, I declared a person's 20s as the time where they get to mess everything up, make adjustments, and try again. He was able to point out exceptions. But, I'm standing by my sweeping generalization.
In a continuation for my never ending search for children's literature, I found myself on the LA Times blog about books. After reading some excellent snarky comments made by the writers who are participating in this week's LA Times Festival of Books, I found a little something that I could add to my non-fiction library in the classroom. A medical doctor wrote a book to help children understand the need for and process of recovering from a tummy tuck.
That's some goodness right there. I can only hope the universe continues to bring these little gems my way today.
One of the students I work with brought me a tiny, yellow flower after school today. It was smaller than the button on my shirt. This tiny girl, with her cute glasses and little yellow flower, totally made my day.
Dave challenged me to a slow-cooker cook off. He made some tasty pot roast during his week off. I have plans for carnitas. Yesterday's trip to the Handy Market yielded two pounds of Boston butt (aka country style ribs). But, I'm not sure if I should make it. We've made plans to look at a house at 7. The slow cookin' takes 6 hours. I'm afraid to leave something cooking while I'm not home. Ahhh, the challenge.
My neighbors get a lot of large packages. Yesterday, it was a box I could have totally shipped myself (which was, by the way, my plan for a cheap way to see the world when I was a child). Packages like this are in front of their door on a regular basis. And, I think they just go in and never come out....
So I think they're either building a fleet of motorcycles in the living room or an arc. That is the only explanation that my sinus infection riddled mind can come up with.
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On a side note, I saw a man filming himself with a tiny video camera while riding a bike around Silverlake's reservoir. He was totally amused with himself. I love LA.
So far, on vacation, I have: been productive, observed the mysterious ways of cats (which included a long, frantic run which seemed to have an invisible and frightening motivation, prolonged eye contact and burrowing up my sweatshirt), been sick, gotten better, wandered the inter web, watched some Arrested Development, made list, ate grilled cheese, and talked with my sisters.
I feel musings on life coming.
And, world interaction.
I love vacation.
I've spent more time than I would like to admit catching up on the news of the day. One story from New Zealand caught my attention. When I studied there, I enjoyed the newspaper's predictability. The front page was always the one major news story country and something about a cow. Always above the fold.
Today I saw a little something that I thought I'd share. There was an assault...with a deadly hedgehog. There were welts and everything.
Being a bit of a momma's girl, I was quick to pass on the story of demolition weekend with my mother. My mother, you see, is very strong. She has always been a little amazed that she birthed a wimp like me (i.e. when it's me vs. jar top, the jar usually wins).
It seems, however, that I simply missed my strength arena. When Blake invited the folks over to demo, Annie and I made plans that included a walk and taco run. On the day of, things quickly changed. While Dave set up the camera, I took part in one of my favorite kitchen sports (cabinet climbing) and used a pocket knife.
Then Brian asked me if I wanted to try to hit something... and it was the beginning of the end.
I found joy in knocking out shelves. Breaking apart hooks just because I could. At one point, my crowbar/sledge hammer action had a very John Henry feel. It was great. My crowning moment of pride came when I was dubbed "Two Hit."
I love demo.
Yesterday, my friends Trisha and Aaron became parents to little Maggie.
Being so far away, the only thing I could do was go out, get a sewing machine and make a little something special for her. 
Welcome to the world, Maggie.
The general tagged me for a little meme fun. I've been struggling with my things, as I feel like I have no secrets. But, really that just depends on your perspective. Then I decided that I was just stalling and should just stream of consciousness this sucker.
So, in no particular order, here are my things.
1. I have a baby thumb. I like it.
2. I sometimes spend hours making little things out of paper...a few things I make are cute and other times they miss the bar.
3. I am getting over my fear of sand. I am not over my fear of sun. Summer is tricky.
4. In the 10 years since college, I have lived in the following states/districts: Arizona, DC, NY, and CA. I have held the following jobs: AmeriCorps volunteer, non-profit coordinator, student services coordinator, event planner and teacher. For a while, I felt like the fact that the jobs/places were in quick succession (one to two year stints) meant I was not good at staying. But, I don't think that's true anymore. What is true is that I must have a packing outfit when I move. The best one was an apron/cowboy hat/roll of tape on the arm.
5. In my early 20s, I obsessed with the idea of being a stunt person...but, then I realized I'm mostly a chicken and stunt person was not good for me. I then moved on to the idea of midwifery. Although I like babies, that didn't work out either.
Now, I'd like to hear the things Annie and VT girl have to say.
Yesterday Dave and I planned to go to Huntington Gardens. That plan was thwarted by the spring ahead/sleeping in to combat In and Out hangover. So we ended up at a little trail somewhere by the Hollywood sign. We had water and snacks but somehow our outfits never caught up with the new plan. I decided for the jeans and against both a hat and a rubber band for my hair. Dave looked like Dave in a button-down. But, we decided to hike anyway. It was hot but great.
Really what I am trying to explain, with much too much set-up, is that I just spent $30 on sunscreen at CVS. Yesterday's hike left my eyelids sunburned.
I blame the sun. And my habit of thinking a daily moisturizer with a little spf will meet my skin protection needs.
Sometimes the fact that LA is becoming my home is more obvious than others. Last night was one of those nights.
First, I went to see my friend Annie's art at a gallery in Highland Park. She created a beautiful needlepoint of a leaf that was found on a walk. I was so impressed with her work.
Than, we went to the MaDonk's for Erin's 30th birthday party. I was able to flit around, talking to people I know, enjoying a beautiful southern California spring night and some In and Out.
This place is becoming home....
I can't decide what to blog so I'm regulated to the •.
•My walk was filled with flowers. LA in the springtime is so beautiful. And, after years of never ending winters, this new season schedule is working out for me very well.
•Apple TV is growing on me. I still don't understand it...but, I just enjoyed some previews on the HDTV. I love a preview.
•Facebook is also moving from a tool for spying on my little sisters into something new. For the most part, it's confusing to me. Why do I want to throw haggis at my friends? Aren't I too old for this? But, I found some long-lost friends and old coworkers who I enjoy. So, we'll see.
•Dave made the perfect guacamole today and he is now making tasty fajita bowls. I am already loving my dinner and I have not eaten a thing.
Other than my love of springtime in LA, the only recent blogs I have wanted to blog have been about my computer problems. But they have been so full of crank that I could not bring myself to blogging them. Today something changed.
Let me start at the beginning. I have always thought that I have had something a little wrong with my computer. I liked to refer to it as my rotten apple. I had pixel problems, ethernet problems, and general oddness. A little more than a month ago, I had to send it in because my power port was wonky--it would not always realize it was plugged in and the battery was not charging. So, after a few days without my computer, I got a new port.
A week or two ago, there was a horrible sequence of events that stated with a frozen track pad and strange tone, moved to a file folder/question mark icon, and ended with some sort of fatal error. Now, I love my computer (despite its rottenness) but I knew this was no good. The guy on the phone tried to help. My own personal mac genius tried to help. Then, I took it to the store. They said logic board. I said, "repeat repair!" And, off it went.
When I tried to pick it up after the new logic board was put in, it went through all of the same problems when I tried to turn it on in the store. This, I think, was my saving grace. I was now working on more than my description of wrongness.
Two mac-guys, Dave and I attempted to start it in a variety of ways. All to no avail. It had to stay in the store for more help.
The next day, I received another call. He said there was no problem and I could pick it up. I said, no...hold it until the guys who helped me last could look at it. So, despite their claim that my computer was fine and had been fine all day, they kept it.
Yesterday, I got a call that there was, in fact, a problem and I was going to get a new computer. Whoo hoo Apple Care!!!
Today, I type you my blog on my fancy new MacBook.
I love my MacBook.
ps In that Apple way, the MacBooks came out like a week or two after I got my iBook. My immediate feelings of redundancy have been vindicated!
Yesterday I was talking about how good my immune system is...4 years around the under 10 crowd and you've basically come into contact with everything that there is.
So, karma being what it is, a mere 24 hours after that proclamation, I'm sick. [I was saying this, for no good reason really, to my mother who has been sick for 3 weeks--hence karma].
Today, I sent three children home from school. Two possible pink eyes (really I think it was probably only one w/ the conjunctivitis...but, you must be safe). One with a bad case of malaise and a story of waking up at 1 a.m. with an ear ache. I also had a contingency of stay in school sickness--the whole body sneezer, the muscle/joint aches, and the whole body sneezer again. My classroom was/is a hot bed for viral infection. Despite all of my hand washing and use of clorox wipes, it seems the little stinkers got me.
P.S. This is my 400th blog post is the 3 years of life as i know it. Maybe I'll celebrate by upping the blogs per month average.
My time on the internet sometimes brings good things.
create your own visited states map
Dave and I had a bit of an urban adventure today...we followed the Highland Park/Heritage Square hike taken from the deck of cards with 50 walks in LA I gave Dave for Christmas. First, we went to Aunt Em's for breakfast. I had some tasty tasty grits and was amused by the posters in the bathroom...I love a little bathroom humor. Once we were all fueled up, we began our walk past some beautiful houses and a park where John Phillips Souza played. We ended at Heritage Square and took a tour of some old timey homes. There as an octagon house and a bathroom with a pull chain flush. [Really, it was a blue ribbon day for my love of interesting public bathrooms.] After all of that, I had a little nap and then we went to get some Thai food. On the way back, I thought I saw a dog running through the neighborhood. I was keeping with my long tradition of misidentifying wild animals. It was a coyote. Running through the neighborhood. Past me and Dave and our Thai food.
I love LA.
