Must be My World

I have had quite the roller coaster ride the last few weeks. Getting our place ready for Kel's visit, finally getting a dog I have been wanting, looking for a new
place, prepping for moving, family time and hormones. Wow.

The hormones are wacky. (Understatement) i have not had a period since Friday the 13th or the 17th when it randomly came back. I have been emotional, anxiety ridden, crampy and generally trying to keep hold of the
hormone triggered rage. I would rather stop having them all together! When I go longer than the 30 day cycle and don't start its like my body is at war. My mind creeps into it too. That is why I bike and DIY. Having Abby around will help with the "blues" that can grab hold.

Abby

This is Abby! We got her today and I can say I have not laughed so much in a long time. Wil was the one always putting on the breaks about getting a dog but she adores him and the feeling is mutual. I have not seen him laugh this much!

She is smart, goofy, curious, loving, snuffly-noised adorable faced gal. She is finally asleep on the couch next to me making little snore snuffle noises. I am typing and catching up on my DVR recordings. I have "Walking Dead", "Shameless", "Californication" and "the Voice"!

We bought the coat on sale a few days ago and the collar came with her - they match! Now we need to find a pink lead. She is going to be ridiculous!

Monday Monday

I have had quite the roller coaster ride the last few weeks. Getting our place ready for Kel's visit, finally getting a dog (Wednesday), looking for a new place to live, prepping for moving, family time and hormones. Um wow.

The hormones are wacky. (Understatement) I have not had a period since (Jan) Friday the 13th or the 17th when it randomly came back for a few days. I have been emotional, anxiety ridden, crampy and generally trying to keep hold of the hormone triggered rage. I would rather stop having them all together! When I go longer than the 30 day cycle and don't start its like my body is at war. My mind creeps into it too. That is why I bike and DIY. Having Abby around will help with the "blues" that can grab hold.

As usual I have way too much going on in my world that I am in charge of . . . As usual I keep plugging along. Photos of Abby tomorrow!

Getting closer to what I want

~Letter from the doctor (to have a dog) check
~dog toys and supplies - check
~dog spay vet within walking distance of home (Wil and Kel have to do it while I am at work Friday but off that weekend) work in progress
Knowing Abby is soon on her way to me - priceless

"Every time I think I have things figured out, they shift." Again . . really?

So . . . . the quote says it all. It seems to be the daily way for me. Seriously, I am very much improv, but when I take the time and thought to make a plan could you all give me at least a few days to roll with it?

So, to explain my frustration. My adorable Abby will not have a litter of pups. Her current owner and handler realized that with her knee replacement, and driving her 87 year old mom to Texas (from Oregon) in May she cannot do the pups so instead of August to get my Abby how about March 1st! I am not ready! I have not found a place to move to, I don't have a vet or dog stuff, have not told my parents . . . . I thought I had time! I cant have a dog where I live without a note from my doctor which I have except it is a year old. She wont just update it. I have to pay for an office visit and hope she will write it again. If not I have to have Connie hold Abby until I move. Ugh.

YES!

I am in love with cigar boxes! I cant believe how well made they are made and cool looking! We were out doing errands in SE and as we drove by a cigar store I literally verded in to see if they had any cigar boxes to give away. While they did not give them away they did sell wood boxes for $5 and paper for $1. I took a good 10 minutes going through the rack. I wanted several (and I do mean massive amounts) but settled on 2 of each. Some had too much advertising and such but I found some awesome ones. I want to sand down the wood ones and stain them them possibly decoupage on some of the fortunes, paper money etc you all have been saving for me (right?). Even the paper boxes were picked for their coolness. I can not stop playing with them and think of the possibilities of awesome! I may be crazy but I love it!

Abby

Learning to show but not really. Is she not the cutest?!?!? I hope to meet her in person soon . . .

"Every time I think I have things figured out, they shift."

Just when I organize my thoughts into a list and make a plan of action everything changes! I can "roll with the flow" and "change streams" and any other saying you can think of but hey! I just got that plan and did not even get very far if anywhere!?!

New plan

~Look for a new place to live. . . . With my son, yup, I get to move from here and take him with me.The original plan (long ago) was when he was moving out from his mommy I could get my own girly pad. Anyway, our building has gotten so shady, dirty and ghetto and the price keeps climbing.The last rent hike really was "crossing the line drawn in the sand" for me. "Stick a fork in me . . . " Besides, I can't save any money this way. it is time to give up my 'hood.*sad face* and work towards my future and Wil's. :)

~This is basically the same. Look for a job that is stable so I can start transitioning into new career. 'nuf said

~open my apartment, my life and my heart to my son's girl friend. She is coming to stay with us for about a month in preview of probably moving here from NY. I told Wil he could live with me until he gets sick of me and/or graduates college. So, in for a penny in for a pound. It will be nice to have a gal around for girly stuff.

~I am getting my Boston Terrier! Her name is Abby. She is a year old and super adorable! She was bred for show by Connie but since she is almost solidly black on her back she will never win best in show. (must be brindled) I went to meet Connie and witness my first live dog show last year. She is a breeder and shows Bostons. She is the breeder to watch. Her little breeder name is getting big rep in the dog show biz. I witnessed her two dogs she took getting top honors at the show I went to. Rose was in her first show and won top honors for that! I had contacted Connie in wanting to purchase an adult BT. I was a few weeks from buying a 5 year old male of hers that she was keeping for her adult son. She had kept him from birth to the time I was going to get him. Her son decided his wife (who did not like dogs) could suck it. He wanted the dog for his autistic son. He could benefit from taking care of a dog. While that left me out of luck it was a very good thing for Connie's son and Grand son so I am glad Cheko is loved but I did feel robbed. Connie and I have been friends ever since and she has been working to find me a dog. At the dog show she was giving her best bitch to some breeder friends to mate with their best male. She really wanted me to get one of those pups but I do not want to deal with a puppy! Abby is a dog I really want and have not even met! For Connie it helps her out for me to take her after one breeding. She will never win a show but just from description and photos I have fallen head over heels in love. Kel and I are going to meet Abby when she is here.

~CreaDiva will:

take an inexpensive jewelery making class with Kel when she is here, finish projects at my parents and get a new space to decorate! Yoo Hoo!!

So, lots to do and take care of. I hope to try this plan out for a few weeks at least. I am awesome.

I LOVE DAYS OFF!

I have had a Super Sunday! I got to spend many hours walking and riding the rails (mass transit) through my beloved biking route with my best friend. DJ did not bring a bike. I wanted to share with him the interest, layers, architecture and beauty I see almost every day when I bike from home. Today was an insanely nice day! Very little wind, sunshine and 60something temps. We just don't get this crazy beautiful weather in the Pacific NW in February! We walked along the water front, up the stairs to a few of the 7 bridges attached to Downtown, rode the MAX across and walked along the Esplanade. We had a great time joking, speaking our combo of accents and short hand silly and sharing excellent camera shot ideas. We got soooo many wonderful shots! I hope to share some of both of our shots soon.

My frustration is my digital camera. It is 8-9 years old which is fine. The problem is my computer is much newer so it cant "speak" to my camera. Same with my printer. My new printer is the same brand as the old but the newer version. I got the old one around the same time as camera. I used to plug the memory card into the old printer and it would transfer my photos to the computer. The new version does not have the right size port. What I have to do now is take it to an office or print store and have them burn my photos to disk. The biggest frustrations are I can no longer delete single photos (camera is losing it and wont let me) and it is getting harder to find someplace to burn them to disk! I tried going to the print store after Super Bowl half time show. By the time I got up there and tried working with the employee it was too late on a Sunday to get to the office store. I stopped at Moon Struck Chocolate and used the last of my Christmas present from my Auntie BFF. Chocolate good.

My list of Do

Now that I have some stress taken off me (jury trial) I need to get organized in my life! I feel like I have been too concerned with day-to-day operations and the peri-meno. I need to keep my personal schedule going for my sanity but start focusing on things that need done. Here is a list of things I need to work on.

~Look and find a more permanent position in my current field (for now) I want to make a career change but need to get solid hours instead of on call so I can focus on the future. Earn, focus on change and save for this future.

~Chose and move forward in a new career I really think I would be good in Realty. I can take the classes online for about $400 and at my own pace. The program is offered locally and you can go into the office for help and help online too. I need to research this whole possibility more. I would like to do some informational interviews/shadow a Realtor. I visited this last March when I was laid off but I did not have a financial safety net. Closings were longer not to mention slow sales. I got information on the class but also on a program through a Realty Company that supports new Realtors and even pays you back your costs and License fees in your first 3 closings. Lots to mull over.

~Save dough!

~Organize kitchen (using up cupboard space with items saved for Wil when he moves on) Not really taken time to get better use of the space. I honestly did not expect to live here as long as we have! I plan to cook more than I have been for a less costly and healthier life.

~Sort through each part of the house and box the "saves" for Wil so we can utilize the room we do have Back to what I keep saying. Did not expect to stay here this long.

~Prioritize hobbies and chose classes I want to take for fun I have to be creative! There are so many things I want to try my hand at. Stained Glass, jewelry making, welding, wood furniture restoration, oil painting, serious sewing . . . the list goes on. I need to balance all the career change with the CreaDiva.

~Help my parents sort through stuff at their house and get them set.They want to organize, thin out to make it easier on them and me as they get older. I might end up with "pass on" treasures.

~Prioritize my projects currently at my parents house and complete them!
~I need to finish my awesome chair restoration/upholstery job
~strip and preserve and old trunk that belonged to my Great Grandmother. My Grandmother gave it to me for my "Hope Chest". It is a semi round top and covered in alligator that was painted over.
~drill and install brackets for the fabric on the back of the Asian screen, sew the ends of the fabric and BE DONE! The screen is in my place just not finished.

That is the start of my future that I need to work towards.

Oh Rocky!

I have had a rocky start to this year. Work hours are up in the air (and disappearing), my rent (both the parking spot and apartment) has gone up, my body is going through hell, dealing with the law suit and I can't find anyone to love. Now any one of these or a combination of these might have the average person hiding under the covers but we all know I am no average person. I am Diva hear me roar!

I am looking for work. The problem is there is not much out there and most hospitals are in a hiring freeze (sound familiar?). I am ready to start making a career change. Pharmacy is very cut and dry. No room for being creative or even funny. I am out numbered being a liberal Democrat, creative and bi-sexual. It was supposed to be this great change in my life that would set me up for the rest of my life. huh?

I know I started this career just before the economy went into the toilet but it is more than that. For now hospitals are using the excuse that because of the Health care Reform they are losing money hand-over-fist and having to do more "Charity Care" for the community blah blah blah. That means all of us schmucks without health care and cash are sucking up the profits. They solve it by cutting jobs of FTE (full time employees) and laying off others. I am tired of trying so hard to please my employer and fellow employees constantly especially with no hope of getting hired. It is like a perpetual job interview since I am on call. I want to stop trying to get somewhere! I made a drastic change to my life almost 12 years ago and have been trying to recreate my life ever since. I did the right thing but it has been a long haul. To be completely honest I have gotten side tracked by relationships, and trying "to do right" by my boys. It is time to be a selfish Diva and focus on my future. I am a sexy independent gal that deserves a permanent future so I will give to myself.