How many days?

...77 days til Honey and Cow arrive. Squeeee!!!

Ms Cow and I are very excited and working very hard to make things, sort things and get rid of things.

We're busy! :)

Tomorrow I'm off to a work thing for the day. I love it that it's in my home town (esp since it starts at 8am)...but...it's been pushing 100F for the last few days here. I haven't even looked to see what the high was today. Honestly, I don't really want to know.

Sigh...it's been pretty toasty in the whole area, so I really don't think going to the North Bay or over to San Francisco would even help heat-wise.

I'm just glad the venue where I'll be is air-conditioned. :)

I'm trying very hard right now not to fall asleep. I worked very hard this weekend at home, and was very busy all day at work (it was HOT in the warehouse).

I really need to do some laundry, but I just can't get myself up and at it. I really wish I had the machines right here in my apt...it wouldn't be such a chore to just pop things in and out when I needed something. I've got just what I need to get me through tomorrow, then I have no choice tomorrow night. Sigh.

Off to figure out when I need to catch the bus tomorrow and which bus I need to transfer to...

More Cunning Plans...

OK, so I end up taking a 4 hour nap today. 4 hours! Totally did not see that coming, but I went to rest for a few moments and....4 hours later... Anyway, my body obviously needed it cos I was OUT!

While running here and there in the car, I loaded up on mega size containers of laundry detergent, rice, and some other staples. Stopped in at shops I wouldn't normally go to on the bus and picked up several other small crafting items necessary for the Kublacon Master Plan. Decided I should make the bus effort every so often cos that store has some things the other usual craft store doesn't.

On the way from one store to another, I stopped over at an old favorite charity shop. Mainly to see if they were still open. They are...and even better yet, they have free pick up! All is not lost with the two chairs after all. Best part is...if you have a big item for them to pick up, they will take smaller boxed items as well. Booyah!

Bottom line, I've got some work to do. I think I'm going to blitz the rest of the boxes in the living room over the next week and then see what I've got for donation. Give them a call and go from there. Might need to wait a bit to call and finish going thru everything. I'll have to see how much I get after this first pass and if I'm will to live with all the donations sitting in my living room for a few weeks.

Dude...you've been living with the damn boxes in there for a very long time, but at least the donation boxes will GO AWAY with minimal effort once you call. ALL AT ONCE!!

Oh. Right. D'oh!

:)

My Post Counter is Wrong

Wrong I tell you! I've been posting and posting and jabbering on and on and the count is still in the 550's...I swear it's been that way since the beginning of summer. I KNOW I've posted more than 10 times since June. Gah.

Whatever, time for some more jabbering.

I miss knitting.

I tried with the Tunisian Hook last night - no dice. Even that was too much. Regular crochet doesn't work either.

Neither does sewing, making jewelry, or any other sort of crafting.

My consultation appointment with the wrist doc with the "New and Improved" MRI is tomorrow morning. I'm SO FLIPPIN' TIRED OF WAITING.

The wrist REALLY hurts. The damp and cold IS NOT HELPING.

There has been a whirlwind of sorting and organizing activity here in the Chaos.

My apartment complex is getting inspected by the City on Friday morning. Nothing like an "incentive" to get you moving a bit faster.

The only storage areas left for sorting are the big, useless dining room closet and the smaller, but still as useless hall closet. Those will have to wait until after the inspection. Boxes and whatnot that have already been sorted but don't have a home yet will be marked appropriately and put wherever there is room - need to get them out of the way.

I've made so many trips up and down to the recycling bins and dumpster that I should have buns of steel.

I've made 2 trips this week (so far) to the thrift store with a very large metal cart full of donations each time - on the bus - it's been quite easy actually. The big cart is now sitting full in the corner waiting for another run. Can't go tomorrow cos of doc appointment and Friday I'm expecting a package delivery, so I guess I'll start up with the thrift store runs again next week.

My doc appt is tomorrow.

I've been doing some culinary experimentation. It sounds a lot better than its been tasting, trust me. It's been fun tho - and I can usually salvage most of it, so we haven't been starving.

My doc appt is tomorrow!!!

Back to work putting things away. I've done as much sorting as I can, now just to get it all back under the bed and in the closets and tucked away til after the holidays. I will do more as time and wrist permits - don't think I'll have it all done before the Holidays and I really do want to decorate for Xmas. So....everything goes away, clearly marked and mostly in their permanent homes.

After New Year tho...it's back at it full force!

I got a new exercise DVD today from my DVD swap club. I'm so excited. It's Core Conditioning and what not, but uses belly dancing moves. I watched it thru while eating lunch today (yeah, I know) and I think I just might be able to actually do this one and keep on doing it - I like belly dancing and the instructors aren't annoying and my body is familiar with the moves - and it's very low impact.

I'm going to the doc tomorrow.

Gah! Ack! Argh! and GRRRRRRRRRRR!

Today was Jewelry Class day. Yay!!!

We seem to have lost quite a few people, which is good because there were WAAYYY too many that first day. I am actually socializing and having a good time sharing tips and tricks with my fellow classmates. It's amazing how there can be just one design and 20 different interpretations! I love it!!! And I was actually able to contribute a tip of my own! Very fun.

I made a pretty necklace using some of the new curved metal beads and flexible wire I got from online - and used some really pretty green glass beads I've had forever. No two of the beads are alike, but they are all the same green. It is awesome...

...except...well...5 min after I finished, I broke the damn clasp. Gah.

...and while I was just inspecting it, I noticed that I left out a few essential spacer beads in the middle of it.

So...even if I hadn't broken the damn clasp, I would have had to redo it anyway. Oh, and I've decided it is a bit on the heavy side (large solid glass beads will do that) so while I have to take it all apart anyways...I'm going to switch out some of the main beads for some a bit smaller (and lighter).

Sigh.

Anyway, sometime this weekend I will redo it and I'll probably redo the bracelet I did in the first class - broke that clasp too. (Don't know what it is with me and breaking clasps!!!)

And I'll head out to the pool for some outdoor drawing. We are supposed to draw a tree for homework...and there is this really cool Weeping Willow just outside the pool area. It is half branches (no leaves) and half graceful (full leaves). Spence and I spotted it last night when we went out for a swim - we decided it is "Cool" and deserves to be drawn. :) It is right outside the covered table area which is perfect. I can go sit in the shade while I artificate.

Even tho I have to redo my jewelry projects, that is not what has me upset.

On the way to class, I got a flat tire!!! I was on the same path that gave me a flat tire on Saturday. Don't think I told you that...

First flat tire story....Spencer and I rode "the back path" all the way to a friends house this past Saturday. I call it the "back path" because it goes along the foothills back behind our complex. Anyway, cue fun and yummy dinner visit with friends, a ride home - in the rain!!!! - and I'm wiping down my bike when we get home and I spot something on my front tire. It looks like a tiny leaf, so I brush my fingers over it and PFFFFFFFFFFFT! Front tire goes flat. Somewhere along the "back path" I picked up some sort of VERY sharp spikey naturally occurring nasty thing. Sunday, Spencer and I are having to stop off at bike shop for repair kit and extra tubes. Tire is fixed Sunday night by yours truly, riding bike all this week, everything is hunky dory.

Good thing I got extras...

Today, I am riding "back path" to Jewelry class...I'm almost to the end of the path and PFFFFFFFFFTTTTTTTTTTT!!! Thwumpa thwumpa thwumpa...

ETA: It was the same spikey naturally occurring piece of tire death that got me the first time.

SHITTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!

I slam on brakes and hop off...back tire is flat as a pancake. SIGH! I am almost to the end of path and close to class - thankfully - so I walk rest of way to class. I'm sure I've totally shredded the tube from walking for about 10 min with a flat and then another ten min to the bus stop after class, but I didn't have my repair kit on me and really didn't want to sit in middle of path with no shade and do the whole 'repair and hope it works' thing even if I did. Back tires are not easy to change - especially when you've never done it before. :(

Now I'm sitting here looking at my poor bicycle with the flat back tire. Spencer is at his Dad's today and they are leaving at the ass crack of dawn tomorrow morning to catch their flight to Dallas - gone until the 26th. I've never taken off my back tire before and I'm not sure if I'll be able to do this on my own - all that gear stuff happening back there and all you know. But I will definitely give it a go - not afraid to try! Good thing we have Honey's Bike! If I can't get my wheel back on, I'll be riding that one for the next week until Spencer comes back from Texas. It's a bit big for me and there is no rack for my removable paniers, but I can deal. Will just need to take it easy and use a backpack.

Oh, and there will be no more riding on the 'back path'. I will, however ride back to the path "crossroads" and go to the right into Walnut Creek, but will not ever be going left again into Concord!!!! The trail towards Concord hates me and my pretty blue bike. Stupid trail!

I'll be taking the bus to Jewelry Class from now on. The bus schedule is a lot more agreeable in that direction, so it's no big deal. I'd rather ride my pretty bike, but no way am I taking her that way again. Such abuse she's taken from that trail. Both tires puntured in less than a week.

A Special Anniversary Today

Hello everyone! No, I haven't been sick with this cold/flu now for a year, but it sure as hell feels like it!!!!

One year ago today, I stopped using my car.

Why?

Well, it pretty much stopped working. My 14yr old Toyota Corolla, a.k.a. Scooter, had finally had enough. There were several things wrong with him, all of which cost lots of money - more money than I could trade/sell him for...

So then the question became, do I fix him or get a new car?

I did neither and donated Scooter to one of my favorite charities. It was the best thing for him, and for me, and it took me waaaay too long to make that decision.

Bottom line, Spencer and I take public transit or walk everywhere we want to go. We are fortunate in that 2 different bus lines stop at the corner by our apartment to take us to many wonderful places - the best of which is the BART station - which in turn connects us to the rest of the Bay Area.

If we have visitors in from out of town, like Mom and Sis, or Honey, I rent a car. When I took the boys to Kublacon, I rented a car. If I ever need a car, I rent it - and it's not very often. The folks at the local rental car company are my buddies.

Several very awesome friends and even the Ex have loaned me their cars when they've gone on vacation. And those same friends, and others, and the Ex have graciously given us rides every now and then.

Once we sort out our bicycle situation, we'll have yet another mode of transport. Spencer's bike needs a tune-up and mine...well, Ms Puffy wasn't cut out to carry my weight (I've gained and it's too much for her to carry me and groceries), so I'm going later to check out some bikes while Spencer turns in his bike for the tune-up. Ms Puffy will be donated to my favorite thrift store where someone smaller will get much more use out of her and not try to kill her with weight.

And you just know mine is going to be tricked out with fenders ( I hate getting muddy stripes up my back when it rains), a back rack, and baskets all around! Cos I plan on taking my new bike everywhere. Just hope I can find one that can handle it.

Do I miss not having a car? Not really. I won't lie and say no all the way, because there have been several times that it would have been so much easier to hop in the car and pop here and there real quick like.

Not having a car though really makes you think. You really have to think about how you are going to get somewhere. Is the trip really necessary? How early do you need to catch the bus - don't forget to factor in if the bus or the train is late! Can you combine a bunch of things into this one trip out? Could you walk? Do you REALLY need that one something...is it important enough to take the bus all this way and take all this time...just for that one little something?

The benefits of not having a car? The obvious ones: no car payment, no insurance payment, no maintenance, no parking fees, no high gas prices, no registration, no smog check. The not so obvious ones: I spend less money since I can't just hop in a car and drive myself to a store because I'm bored, we only buy what we absolutely need because we have to plan our trip and then carry it all home, our carbon footprint is a whole lot smaller now, we get out and walk more. Ummm...that's not to say we don't go crazy and buy stuff we don't need though (i.e. all that yarn I stuffed into my cart today...and the xbox we bought a few weeks back).

Speaking of walking... I found out that within less than 2 miles of my apartment in any direction, is a total of 4 major grocery stores, a zillion restaurants, a post office, a pet store, 3 hardware stores, and so much more, it's incredible. And here, I've been hopping in Scooter and driving to all these places all these years. Sigh.

Speaking of bus rides...I can take the bus in any direction from my apartment and in 10-20 minutes I could be at 3 different BART stations, two local downtown areas, 2 different craft stores, 2 different games stores, movie theatres, our family doctors, a Target, new book stores, used book stores, the car rental place, and the list goes on and on.

I swear, Spencer and I go out more and see more things now than we've ever done before.

And you know the best benefit of not having a car? I get to hang out with... The. Best. Cart. Ever. Made....EVER!

Everyone...meet Dot.



And we won't discuss the very bad things she hears pouring out of my mouth when the bus is late. Yeah, that's a major down side, but not enough to make me go out and pay high gas prices, get a car payment, pay insurance premiums, get the car licensed and registered....or get stuck in traffic.

Will I ever get another car? Yes, eventually - and I do check out cars constantly so that I know what I want when I finally do decide to get motoring again. In the mean time, I've gotten used to using public transit and look forward to tooling around on my new bike when I get it. Oh, and what's really cool? The buses have bike racks and you can take your bike on BART. If I ever get tired, we both can have a ride. hee hee

I heart Dot, my BART EZRider Pass, my bus pass and my Translink card.