I WON !!

Sent out a ballot to all the condo residents requesting "permission" to lay out a drip watering system, remember? The votes are in 10 residents are on my side. The two who were against me are the dude who complained in the first place and his good buddy who doesn't vote but lets "dude" vote for him.

Tomorrow I will call the installer and reschedule.

Jhary's last day at her job was a week ago Friday. She is getting very bored. Time to start looking for another job. I doubt she will get one as good as the one she left.

Uma may get a job at Sacred Heart Hospital in the kitchen. She will interview some time this week. If she doesn't get this one the job developer says she will develop one for her. It would be great if she could get some extra cash and have something meaningful to do.

Took Tyrone out for dinner for his birthday. The meds he is on help his ability to sort things out but he still has a great imagination and confuses reality with fantasy - and they have caused weight gain. Too bad. He was such an athlete and so much fun. Maybe he will improve to the point of being able to hold down a job of some sort. Way in the future.

Busy week upcoming. I like those. It keeps me off the streets.

Ugly Swim suit

Truly ugly suits on such gorgeous bathing beauties.

Got that off my chest

The ladies in the pool where I do my water aerobics decided to celebrate the end of spring with an "Ugly Swim Suit" contest today. The only rules were 1. you must wear two suits (so we could tell who was entered in the contest) and 2. one suit must be worn inside out. Most of the suits were really thin and faded. A couple of them had linings that were in tatters. Mine wasn't in that bad of shape (yet) so I took a clue from a dress I saw in a thrift shop (Did I tell you about this dress? Floor length, lined, beautiful workmanship with floor length lined coat to match out of 3" squares of double knit. My reaction when I saw it was "Why?").
In the stash at the church were tons of 1.5" squares of double knit. I stitched those puppies together four to six across and made a pass from the neck line in the front to the back neck line. I secured it at front and back neck and at the leg openings with a quick slip stitch and then secured the rest with really ugly buttons. I will take a picture of it later (it is on display now) and post it as an edit. Have no idea if I won but it was fun doing it and very uncomfortable to wear over my good swim suit.

Complaints

I've been very successful wearing my Complaint Free World bracelet since June 5th on the same wrist. That's 21 days. That is a "habit broken".
THEN - I decide to install a little sprinkling system (the Drip watering kind that runs off a hose connection) in my back yard to keep my plants watered while we take off for a day or two. Called around, got a guy to come out and take a look. Easy job, he said he'd run over to the store and pick up the stuff he needs and would be back in an hour. On the way to his truck my upstairs neighbor stops him and asks what he is doing here. I then get a knock on my door with a very intimidated service person and an overly irate neighbor. Seems he thinks I need Condo residents to vote on whether or not I can attach a drip system to my hose bib. *&^%$
It is just like a hose. It is portable. It is removable. It is not an in the ground, dig trenches with a large back hoe type of installation. AND it saves on water. What the...... So I called the president of the association - she's on my side. I looked up the condo declarations and found the item that says (I think) that I should be able to do this. But just to be on the safe side (and since Mr. Congeniality insisted) I typed up a ballot and asked the residents to weigh in on the subject. Had to cancel the installation. Will certainly be able to call him back and have him continue with it but I really have been in a Complaining space all day because of it.
I don't care. The bracelet comes off today anyway.

Complaint Free World

Oprah had some dude (the Rev. Will Bowen complaintfree@ccunitykc.org ) on talking about how he introduced an idea to his congregation. He claims that most complaining is from habit and that any habit can be broken in thirty days. He passed out purple bracelets to his congregation with the instructions - put it on either wrist. When you complain, switch wrists. When the bracelet stays on one wrist for 30 days consider yourself "complaint free".
Well, I emailed him and got a bag full of bracelets. I'm passing them out to any takers. (mainly in my circles). I've been wearing mine for a week. The first two days it switched quite a bit but it now has been on one wrist for 5 days. Jerry says that he does not consider me a complainer anyway, so this should be an easy exercise.

On another vein, Robin sent me her pattern for grocery shopping bags (http://quiltantics.blogspot.com/2007_03_01_archive.html) and I have whipped out 33 bags and have sold 13 of them. I am not keeping any of the money since I am making them for our church bazaar. Sure would like to get most of them sold before the November Bazaar because as I was looking through the "Bazaar Stuff" on Thursday, I saw a whole lot of things that I have sewn that has not been purchased. Would hate to have these bags join that lot. (that is not a complaint only an observation.)

What phase of the moon is this?

Yesterday I attended a scheduled meeting for Uma's team. Problem? Uma didn't show. Six people waited in her apartment for an hour for her. Seems she had been there just 5 minutes before I arrived but was upset about one of their friends, talked to the manager about it and he told her to take a walk to cool off. She did. Didn't come back until 10 minutes after the meeting disassembled. We rescheduled for two weeks out. These meetings are State mandated and a royal.....
Jerry & I went out to dinner (I was too mad at her to cook).
When we got home his daughter called and said "Why is Jhary in Sacred Heart ER?" Dang if I know. She was brought in by the police. She wasn't talking. I talked to her on the phone and figured out it had something to do with dinner plans. I called her residence. Mind you, she had been at Sacred Heart for at least 30 minutes probably more and I, as the legal guardian, had not been called by her care providers. The only reason I had found out is because Carrie, working her one day at the hospital, recognised her and called me. I tried to be calm and rational and found out that indeed Jhary had flipped out when she was told there was not enough staff to take her out for Chinese. Their solution to the problem was to call the police and ship her off to the hospital without any staff/explanation. Oh, staff was going to call me in a little while. I asked her to please call the hospital and fill the nurse in on what went on.
Jerry & I took off for the hospital. Half an hour later the nurse comes in and says she had just received a call from Jhary's staff person. (The time lags here are numbingly long). The nurse told the care giver that they really need a different solution to clients outbursts than sending them to the ER. AMEN! We took Jhary from the hospital to get a bite to eat (not Chinese) and them home. She apologized to staff (one accepted graciously, the other acted like a petulant 8 year old and kept complaining about how she was treated by Jhary in this whole event. If she doesn't want to deal with developmentally delayed people and their occasional melt downs she should get out of the business.)
To top off this child centered afternoon/evening, Bob Jr. called. He is back in town. Bought a house on 32nd and Ray. Wants to know how the kids are doing. Wants to be all lovey and "family". Gag me with a spoon. I really do not have any interest in firing up a relationship with him. I'm happy with the people I have in my life and don't really need his problems. I'll tell the kids he is here and let them go from there.
Got my "Complaint Free America" bracelets in the mail. Will hand them out to my women's group this month. Does the above post qualify as a complaint? Guess I had better change arms.

And another thing

Yesterday I went to a sewing demonstration about travel cloths and hidden pockets in the garments presented by the American Sewers Guild. http://asg.org/) The speaker was hawking her pattern making company. She makes and sells patterns with multiple hidden pockets (http://www.saf-t-pockets.com/). Each pattern is multi sized. I bought 4. Have no idea when I'll get around to making them - hopefully before Israel.
Joined the guild. I have no idea what I will be doing in this group. Seems they are just getting going in this area. They were organizing the Spokane Chapter and needed 15 people to join so they could send in the paperwork. They talked about monthly neighborhood gatherings where women got together and discussed what they were sewing etc., sounded like Robin's Quilting Guild (I tried to join a quilting guild here in Spokane but my inquiries were never returned).

June already

My how the time flies.
Did the colonoscopy thing. Jerry had to deliver girls to school at the very time I was due to be examined. They wouldn't start on me until he showed up (as my designated driver) no matter how much I told them that he would be there for me when he finished. Almost had to cancel. That would have been a bummer since I had gone through the liquids only thing and the clinically induced diarrhea. Everything worked out OK. He arrived after my appointment time but they took me back anyway, (because they had had a cancellation), they did their thing and I checked out just fine. I didn't remember a thing from the injection of the third drug to a nurse saying "wake up, Leonna. Keep your eyes open". And then Jerry was escorting me out of the office. I evidently dressed myself and signed my discharge papers (I have a copy of that with my signature on it). I am truly boggled at that - not remembering anything. Came home and slept for about four more hours. Couldn't go to yoga, drug myself through dinner (at Wendy's) and begged off on going up to Carrie's that evening. Next morning I was bright eyed and bushy tailed and off to swimming as usual.

My baby ginkgo trees are not faring well. First we had a hail storm that beat on them then the direct sun that is scorching them and then my neglectfulness about keeping them moist. If they make it through the summer .... The one from last year is doing great.

All my planting is done. Want to get a drip system installed so we can leave for a couple of days if desired and come back to healthy plants.

Nothing much

Such a hectic week - something happening every day last week. Then this weekend ... nothing. We did go out to Jason's for dinner on Friday, only because Tracy wanted me to look over her will and power of attorney. Seems Jerry told her I had legal experience - I don't call being a bookkeeper in a law office "legal experience". Anyway, she filled in the blanks on "wills.com" or some such and it all looked fine to me. Actually, the intent is there and since they don't have any great holdings they should be fine.

Sunday was the same old, same old. My dear pastor came to me 10 minutes before the service and wanted me to be the liturgist - and by the way, could I also help serve communion. I really should dress better every Sunday.

Last Wednesday was our last Project Joy practice for the summer. We start again in September. Sunday was the last Sunday school for the summer. I really don't want to lead another session but who knows how I'll feel in September. Tuesday will be the last Sewing Club session until September. Jerry is excited... he gets his wife back.

This Wednesday I go in for a colonoscopy. That means no food tomorrow, only liquids that you can read through. Had one nine years ago. Guess it's time to get another one. Better than fishing your poop out of the stool and spreading it on a slide. Yuck!

With the new Harry Potter book coming out in July I decided to start at book one and read straight through so I could get everything in order. Just finished book 4. Two more in 6 weeks. I think I'll make it. In the mean time other reading is going down the tubes.
Our trip to the Holy Land brings many documents/brochures/booklets/study guides that I need to be getting to. After Harry in July.

Birthday for Uma

Today is Uma's birthday. She is anywhere from 34 to 40+ . We don't know. My place is so small that I can only have one or two kids here at a time. So I have invited all four adopted kids to dinner at Perkin's. Uma would have like to go to a Chinese place (the Shogun especially) but her husband and mine don't care for rice so I figured Perkin's would suit every one's appetite. Hope both boys can make it. Tyrone said he would walk down. Traivon's fiancee said they would be there too. We shall see.

Well, we had a lovely dinner. Traivon did not show up. I'll have to speak to that boy. Maybe his fiancee did not pass the word. I'll find out.

Was going to take me camera so I could post pictures but didn't so can't.

Today is Red Hat day. We are going to the Garland district to have lunch at the Milk Bottle and snoop in the shops.

Have my garden 1/2 way cleaned up and planted. So many little projects I'd like to do (did I say that?) in there. Thought I'd never ever want to work in the yard as long as I lived. Surprise, Surprise! When things get established I'll post some pictures.

RIP

Marvelous Marvin the Magnificent Mouse catcher passed away over night. He was so cool, he chose the plastic chair mat under the computer to breath his last breath. He loved to sun with Polly and T. J. He taught Polly how to climb the Christmas tree. He gave much love and nearly wore the skin off my forehead with his raspy tongue.His presents in this place is already missed by his people and his fellow felines.

Bloomsday

Sunday, May 5 was the 31st running of Bloomsday, the world's largest individually timed run. 44,000 people signed up. 39,000 finished. I handed out water to over 200 of them. Jessica ran (she was one of the 200 I handed water to). The "Finisher" shirt has a great design this year. I have found, however that the volunteer shirts usually are better. This year they are a tie. I was so tired after standing for five hours that I took naps all afternoon and went to bed at 8 PM.

Jessica sang a great "Hansel" in "Hansel & Gretel" last Friday. Here she is with Gretel taking their bows.

After the show all the Grandkids had to get their picture taken with the star. Clockwise with Jessica at the top is: Chelsie, Josh, and Hailey, Sydney and Casey. Behind Casey is Traci, mother to the three on the right. The kids loved it and each delivered a rose to Jessica after the show (during bows).

Ah, Spring

Spring has sprung. Today we enjoyed a lovely 65 degrees, gentle breeze, blue skies & sun. I was so thrilled I went out and purchased some plants - daisy, columbine, tomato, strawberries. A little ahead of myself because I haven't cleaned up from last year and I need to have a rose bush and a tree removed before I put anything in the ground. Want to get three day lilies to put in front of those ugly gas meters but the shop I was at today only had yellow. I know there are other colors so I'll continue to look. And of course there are the petunias yet to be bought. It will all happen this month.

Korea: What do you know? I emailed the leader of the tour that I wanted out and low and behold he called and the leader of the group going from Seattle called. Both wanted me to reconsider. There is too much water under the bridge now for that. I'll probably have to write the $500 deposit off as a contribution to the Korean missions.

Korea

Well, I've decided not to join the group going to Korea in the middle of May. I have no ticket, no itinerary, no idea of anything that would have made me believe that this trip was really happening so I emailed (will snail mail too) the leader of the group expressing my disappointment with his disorganization and requesting a refund of my deposit. (Think he took it and ran?)

Jerry's daughter's significant other is a body builder. Well, actually he really likes to go to the gym to work out and was talked in to "bulking up" for the local competion. The meet was today. We went and watched the morning preliminaries. He looked gooood. The finals are tonight but they are sold out.

The ladies compete too. UGH! There is one section of girls who prance around in pornographic two piece suits. Then there are the women who take testosterone and bulk up tooooo much. In my opinion, body building is not for women. Good health and good muscle tone is fine, but flat chests, no curves, and bulky muscles are not very feminine.
What say you?

Baby Ginkgos

A lady in Portland, Oregon announced that she had successfully germinated some Ginkgo seeds she had gathered last fall and asked if anyone wanted any. I jumped on the opportunity and replied to the affirmative. She promptly sent six seeds which I dutifully placed on a very (too) damp paper towel in a plastic bag. Two weeks later I took my little nursery to our monthly Bonsai club meeting and two other ladies begged to take a seed or two home to try to grow a Ginkgo tree. So I was down to three seeds that didn't show any promise of germinating. I transferred the seeds (a bit larger than a cherry pit) to a smaller bag with dampened paper towel (sprayed the towel with a weak solution of bleach to inhibit mold growth - which had been noticed in the larger bag) and waited.
Glory of Glories! Seed #1 started sending out a feeler. The other two were cracked but were much slower in sending out a feeler.
As you can see by the pictures, Seed #1 has a lovely stalk with two cute little leaves on top. Seeds #2 & 3 have their little root sinking into the sand and a small stem coming up. Seed #3 is too close to the pot and her little leaf stem is smashed against the pot. I can't move her because the root is in the sand and I don't want to slow growth down (yet).


Thank you, Lady in Portland. I'll keep you posted as to their progress.

Check Up

Got the results from my annual physical. I'm in great health. My Cholesterol (total) is 177. HDL - 53; LDL - 102; Triglycerides - 108. All this because I have cut out dairy in my diet.
(Last year my numbers were Cholesteral (total) 190; HDL 57; LDL 115; and Triglycerides - 90.)
Can we have a "Way to go"?

Driving

After the fender bender (?) of last month, Jerry & I decided to sign up for the AARP driver refresher course. It started today. Most of the info I learned at 16 is still valid except for the "do not tap your brakes if someone is following too closely". Seems to do so now could lead to a ticket because it is viewed as and "aggresive" move. What????? I'm getting sniffed in the tailpipe by some jerk and I can't signal him to back off? The laws that protect the criminal are insane.

I'm Back

Went to Phoenix last week for some R&R. This being retired sure wears you out. Volunteering a couple of times a week and exercising daily and, and, and...

Brian has boasts that his eldest has moved out and is now on her own. However, as you can see, the granddaughter still makes it over to visit quite frequently. He enjoys just sitting and holding her as she sleeps.

I took a tutu down for her first birthday. She looks so cute.

She is a doll. Very sweet disposition. And such a looker. Those big brown eyes and ready smile.

Can you just see an attitude coming? Her mom is just great with her. Good luck Jessica. You are the greatest.

Brian & Francesca are doing well. Thinking of remodeling the kitchen. Adding on to the back of the house. Converting the empty bedroom to a computer room. Redoing the backyard fence. All this takes time. They are being cautious and going one step at a time.

The truck Francesca found on Craig's list is awesome. You need a ladder to get into it but it is tricked out with GPS, tinted windows, leather seats, satelite radio etc,... All there before she bought it. They did get new tires all around but now she feels safe driving on the freeway. Get out of the way ... here she comes.

Brian's Harley is noisy but nice. Very smooth ride. Comfortable "Bitch" seat. Wish I could learn how to drive it. (But Jerry, having laid his bike down, refuses to go near another bike.)

The Knees

When did my body go? Actually I've know for a long time that my knees don't like me doing stuff. Like crouching , they've never liked that. Or squatting, that's always been a no-no. And bending over, they creak at that. But bowling! We used to get along just fine bowling. But wait, that was ... several years ago - when JFK was still alive.
Why bring this up?
Spring break this past week. Jerry's granddaughters have been suggesting (quite often) that we go bowling. So we relented and went to what used to be Silver Lanes, remember Kids? Well lit, smokey, open? Now it is Big Daddy's. Casino, dim lit, smoke free, chopped into gambling dens, the lanes are lit with black light, track lights race up and down the lanes. (It's not your grandpas bowling alley any more.)
After my eyes got used to the dark (and my memories stopped flooding in) we found our way to the shoe rack and ordered the requisite "bowling shoes". They have gone from blah tan and maroon to day-glo yellow/green and orange. (No one is walking out in those). And found a ball that would work (Jerry had to have one drilled out for his paws).
Figure out how to enter our names in the fancy automatic score keepers (no more paper and pencil or even overhead projector thingy) and we are set. Up I go, get my stance (it's like riding a bike, right? you never forget) and begin my approach. Thunk. What's up with these knees? They don't want to get into the lunge position for releasing of the ball. They stop half way there and the ball is dropped. (Gumpa is turning over in his ashes). I adjust. Still the thunk. Not the smooth release like the guy in the next lane was doing but at least I stayed on the wood, was able to pick up a few spares, hit the head pin for a strike and end up with a decent 125. I've still got it! Best score of the afternoon. One game was my limit. Time was when I was waning at the tenth frame of the third game not the 8th frame of the first game. I'm out of practice.
Jerry took my spot for the next line. He had trouble finding his groove (well, the shoes didn't feel comfortable and the ball was stiff - and let's face it, it's been a while since he was in a league). He finally got his approach ironed out and almost broke 100.
I really had fun watching the girls bowl and coaching them - aim your thumb at the head pin, don't twist your wrist, end your approach on your left foot, etc. The girls were able to put in four lines. But they are young. I'm sure we will do this again. Hope next time I'll be able to break 100 again just to show the kids there is still life in this old body.

Subaru home

After a full day of running errands in the Kia on Monday, we returned to a message from the body shop that our Subaru was ready to come home. Naturally, we turned right around and zipped out to the valley to pick it up. She looks so much better than when I left her. The Enterprise lot was just down the road so we dropped off the Kia and took a leisurely trip north to the Outback to celebrate the return of our little car. A dinner that early was just what we needed. We rolled back home and blobbed for the rest of the evening.