A stranger who made my day...

I left work this morning at around 10am and headed off to run some errands for work. One of my stops was at the local bank to make a deposit. The bank has 3 drive through lanes...one that is right by the teller window, and two with the tube/suction things.
The first lane by the window had 1 car waiting...lane #2 had a car being helped...and I pulled into the third lane and waited behind a woman who was being helped. Just after I pulled up - a man in a truck pulled into lane #2, and just as the car in front of him pulled away - a young lady came running out with a sign that said "please use other lane". I assume they were having some issues with the tube/suction thing. The man looked a bit peeved, but backed up and pulled into line behind me.
We sat there, and we sat there....I farted around with the radio for a bit...and realized that we've all been sitting there for quite a few minutes, and nobody moved. Lane #1 still hadn't moved - and neither had ours...
Well right then, I noticed that the woman in front of me was talking very animatedly to the teller through the call box. I figured perhaps there was something wrong with her account or something...so I rolled down my window like a good nosy person. Only she wasn't talking about anything bank account related.
This woman had turned into chatty kathy and was talking about a baby shower that she'd gone to that weekend...she was giving the teller ALL the details about this baby shower....and I"m sitting behind this woman thinking "are you kidding me? does she not realize that she's got 2 people behind her?"
To my disbelief, the teller then asks if the pregnant woman knows what she's having...and more conversation ensues about the baby thing.
I VERY BADLY wanted to honk my horn - but I didn't have the gumption to do so - and instead I revved my engine really loud hoping she would take the hint...
The talking ensues - and hand gestures - and giggling - and exclaming...
Lane #1 hasn't moved either - so I assume that there is only one teller helping both lanes, and these two are so busy yapping it up that nobody is going anywhere...
I was starting to lose my wits...and the anxiety was building at the GALL of this woman...and I was JUST about to finally tap my horn a little...when I heard a car door slam.
I looked in my side mirror to see that the man behind me had gotten out of his truck. He strolled up to the woman in the car behind me....leaned over and pushed the call button on the call box...and said very loudly:

"Do you think the two of you could shut the f*%k up so the rest of us can get on with our day?"

and he turned and walked towards me back to his truck. I was cracking up and said "THANK YOU!" as he walked by.
The woman in the car in front of me looked absolutely HORRIFIED and hurriedly drove away.
I pulled up - and noticed that the woman who was at the teller's window was being reprimanded, and another woman stepped into her place to help myself and the people in lane #1.

I was so glad to see someone do what I've always wished I had the guts to do....that stranger-man totally and completely made my day. I'm still laughing!

Still on the road again...

So back to the topic of "Road Trips"...

Hubster and I feel like we really need to find somewhere to live that is outside of California. Some people might understand that, and some may think we're insane to be leaving friends and family for something completely different then what we're used to. But after MANY (and believe me, SOOOO MANY) discussions on the subject, we just really feel like moving out of the area, and the state...is the right decision for ourselves and our future family.
We've talked about many different areas, and of course we still have alot of options to talk about and explore - all for many different reasons. But for right now, based on location - weather - jobs - and landscape....we're leaning towards Southern Oregon.
We have a vacation coming up in October, and we're again - heading out on the road without any specific plans. Just us, a map, and the road ahead....up into Oregon territory to see how we feel about several different areas up there. We both try to think things through practically and responsibly, but in the end..most of the decisions we make, are based on our GUT FEELINGS about it.
You know how people say "when you KNOW...you KNOW"?
Well that's how we felt when we got married (and everyone thought we were INSANE)...both times we've been on the lookout for a new home to live in...any big purchases, such as cars, furniture, etc....anything that's kind of a big deal...in the end, our gut feelings always win out. And we both know that we have to be in AGREEMENT about those feelings, or it'll never work.

So anyway - we really have no plans about where specifically we're going...I mean, we know certain towns and places we want to go - but nothing is planned out as far as staying anywhere, or having a schedule for anything. We've talked about driving back down through parts of Idaho...we've also talked about driving up to Seattle. Who knows - we'll know when we know, right?

We're both really excited about it - and we've talked about renting a car for the drive, so that we don't put so many miles on our car, or have to worry about mechanical problems that WE have to fix....yada, yada, yada..

But then last night - plans changed.

Hubster called me yesterday and asked me to look up information on renting an RV. My heart kind of skipped a beat when he said that because I can't believe we didn't think of that before!
WE've always talked about wanting to buy an RV someday and just traveling all over the place....all over the US, Canada, Mexico...anywhere we can DRIVE.
So how great would it be to give it a shot for this upcoming trip? Especially when we have no idea where we're going or where we'll end up.

So I looked into it - and for about $700, not including gas (which will be outrageous, but would be ANYWAY) - we can rent an RV for the entire week. Not only will we not have to pay for hotels...or a rental car...but we'll also be able to buy food and prepare it ourselves, rather then having the expense of eating out for every meal. The RV has a shower, toilet, stovetop, fridge, freezer, and microwave...it'll be like camping - only not really camping.

This is so right up our alley - and we both keep thinking about our last Road Trip and how much fun we had.
This will be different because it could possibly involve our FUTURE - but at the same time, it's very exciting to think about and we're both very curious how we're going to feel about the areas we want to see. It could be a definate "hell no", it could also be a hesitant "maybe" - and it could also be a wide-eyed look at each other with a smile that says "this is it".

On to making more great memories...

On the road again...I just can't wait to get on the road again...

A couple of years ago, hubster and I took a "Road Trip" for one of our vacations. We had reservations for one night at a bed and breakfast up in Mendocino county, and the rest of our vacation was completely unplanned. Since we couldn't decide what we wanted to do - and didn't have the money to go anywhere fancy anyway...we decided to just get in the car and DRIVE. We wanted to go wherever our hearts desired...as long as we agreed anyway - which is never a sure thing.
So we took Hwy 1 all the way up to the bed and breakfast, and stopped along the coast wherever we wanted, even stopped at Fort Ross which was pretty cool...we saw so much of the coastline that we've never seen before, and it was beautiful and very relaxing and peaceful to not have the pressure of HAVING to be somewhere at a certain time.

That vacation was by far, the best one we've ever taken together. We thought for sure that being trapped in a car for that long together would take it's toll and we'd inevitably have arguements or bicker about stuff. But we didn't...we even got lost quite a few times...and managed to laugh it off and say "oh well!".

We traveled up the coast to Mendocino county, ...stayed at the bed and breakfast and enjoyed the peace and quiet of NO television, and ate some of the most fantastic food ever. The next morning, we both sat on the deck that overlooked the ocean and read the newspaper, and didn't say a word to each other for about 2 hours. It was such a relaxing time that we didn't feel the NEED to talk and keep constant chatter going.
We left there, and drove back down through the redwoods and all the tiny and quaint towns scattered about Northern California...over to Old Town Sacramento (commonly known as Old Sac, which sounds dirty and I always giggle when I hear people call it that). We drove through town, and discovered a RIVERBOAT hotel that was docked on the Sacramento River (which was pretty cool...but not as cool as I thought it would be). We dropped all our stuff off in our tiny little room, and then cruised all through town and found a basement music store that had all kinds of funky stuff in it...and walls and walls of records. And I mean VINYL records...
We scoured and hunted around for a long time in that store...and walked out with several Led Zeppelin albums, and a few others for only $50. We were holding well over $150 worth of vinyl in our hands, so we felt darn good about that...and we talk about going back to that store all the time. We then went wine tasting and did some more shopping, and spent the evening drinking champagne and looking out at the river and into the streets of Old Sac (hehe) and then headed down to enjoy another PERFECT meal at the Riverboat Restaurant.
The next morning, we woke up and said "so...where do you want to go today?" - and after hitting up the train museum in town...he headed back on the road and just DROVE, not knowing really where we were going...and decided to just keep on driving until we got to Reno. Neither one of us had ever been there, so we figured "why not?".
The drive up to Reno was SO BEAUTIFUL....and we even encountered snow going through the mountains. The scenery was so breathtaking and NEW to us that we just marveled at everything...and chatted and laughed the entire way.
Reno was actually quite disappointing - we found it to be dirty and old and just not what we expected...but we stayed at the Silver Legacy which is probably one of the nicest hotels in town. We gambled a bit and toured through several casino's. The next day we went to the automobile museum in town which was AMAZING. Hubster was enthralled with each and every vehicle, and insisted on taking pictures of everything possible.
We then left Reno and headed back through the mountains...and stopped at a "family fun center" where they did inner tube sledding. I was THRILLED, and had to talk hubster into going with me because he initially didn't want to do it...but we had SUCH A BLAST tubing in the snow. We're not small people, so we got some serious speed going down that hill, it was great.

After that, we headed back down through Northern California's Gold Country. We found a hotel in Placerville, and the next day we actually went DOWN INTO an actual working Gold Mine. I think we were about 1400 yards down...it was a LONG way...I thought for sure I would feel claustrophobic down there, but I never did. I think I was so fascinated by the whole thing that I never thought about how closed in we were. The tour leader your typical stereotype of a miner. Long white beard, hard hat...suspenders...and short. Very nice man, and he knew his stuff!
Anyway - that afternoon we headed back to SF to stay with hubster's parents and we were both sad to have our trip end.
All the little stuff in between...getting lost...or finding an oddball place to stop and eat...laughing at something we saw, and just being so easy going about WHERE we went...was all so much fun. I know we both look back on that vacation with really fond memories. We saw alot of things that we'd never seen before, and went alot of places that we've never been before.
Part of me wishes that I could make a video of everything in my head from that vacation. I'm afraid that those memories will leave me someday...or afraid that I will forget how it FELT to be just the two of us laughing and smiling while driving on all those unknown roads...

More to come...

Being Domestic?

Most people who know me...and know me well...know that I'm not much for decorating. Things don't usually match, I don't usually have much on the walls of my house..and when people ask me what my "theme" is for certain rooms...I give them the "you're insane" look. Sometimes when people talk a certain decor or theme for a room - my eyes glaze over and a bit of drool comes out of my mouth.
I also can't stand the color Pink, and for the most part...flowers are just not my thing.
I know, I know...my mother must be so proud right?
Anyway - a couple weeks ago, we were at Amanda's house - and she had a new IKEA catalog sitting on the coffee table.
For the record...hubster + me + our checkbook + IKEA = TWO BROKE FOOLS WITH TOO MUCH FURNITURE and a bad case of the "I WANT'S"
So of course, the first thing we did was flip through the catalog and dissect every page. As always, we found all kinds of things we WANT...but don't NEED. And then....we found something we DID NEED! Okay, so we didn't NEED it - but we sort of did, in a roundabout way.
Anyone who decorates would say that we needed it alright?
Hubster found a duvet set...with matching curtains that he LOVED. He showed the page to me, and much to my own, and most certainly Amanda's shock...I loved them too.
They had flowers on them...
(so does this happen as we get older? Because I'm a bit frightened that my house will eventually be full of flowered things, and crocheted doily's)
I'm sure that wherever my mom was at the time...a little light shone down on her - with a tiny angel's chorus background singing "Hal-lelu-iah!"- because HER DAUGHTER liked something with FLOWERS on it. Not just any flowers mind you...little tiny blue and PINK FLOWERS.
I still can't believe it myself.
So, after spending all day Sunday with the family in the Bay Area. We were off for the long drive home. Which just HAPPENED to go right past the IKEA in Palo Alto. Yes, we caved...and we headed into the Sunday crowds of IKEA to find our precious bedspread.
We made our purchase - and after finding out that the dining table we wanted was out of stock (I TOLD you we'd be broke fools with too much furniture) we headed home.
The curtains at IKEA come really huge...ours were 118 inches long and each panel was 58 inches wide. They do that to accomodate any window size...and each curtain comes with fusing tape, so you can iron a hem.
Which is PERFECT for people like me who can't sew. And I mean, I really can't sew....
I once tried making a pair of pants in Jr. High and accidentally sewed the pockets onto the LEGS...and I don't mean just the legs...but the BOTTOM of the legs. I don't think I've seen my mom laugh that hard in YEARS...tears rolling down her face, the whole deal...and the entire time she was laughing I was trying to figure out how in the hell I had sewn the pockets down where my ankles should have been.
SO yeah, K DOESN'T SEW!
Anyway - I busted out my iron...and measured and cut...and hemmed...sort of....I even DOUBLE hemmed so the edges wouldn't be all raggedy.
And now...drum roll please....


















(I never realized how hard it is to take pictures of CURTAINS with sun shining through them - perhaps I'll give it another try at nighttime)

At any rate, Hubster and I have a bedroom with MATCHING curtains, and bedspread. We even have decorative pillows that match the bedspread. Pillows that are not for sleeping...but just to match the bedspread. Hubster is under strict orders that he is not to drool or get any hair gel remnants on our NEW PILLOWS.
I even took it one step further and used some of the extra material left over to make a coverlet of some sort for the cats. Basically since they sleep on our bed during the day...it's just an extra sheet of material over the bedspread - that I can easily throw in the wash when it gets too cat-hair laden....and yet, it MATCHES.
Oh my...does this mean I'm turning into one of those "domesticated types"?
Am I going to start wearing an apron and making casseroles? Will this cause me to...God Forbid...MAKE MY BED EVERY DAY??? Lord help me...

While I was taking pictures - Tweak was running around on the bed all bug-eyed...sort of like an Amish person who doesn't want their picture taken because it'll "steal their soul" or something...
so here is the obligatory, psycho-bug-eyed-hyperactive cat picture:

Notice the whipping action I captured with that tail...

Doesn't get much cuter...

Yesterday, I was sitting at my desk working, when I heard the stomp-stomp-stomp of little kid-feet coming up the stairs to my office.
I looked up and saw my neice Keeley's little shining face running towards me, all by herself. She had the biggest smile on her face and was holding something in her hand, high up in the air...so as not to smoosh it.
She gave me a nice big hug and said "Auntie, I have something for you!"
and she handed me this:

Then she said "Auntie! Look in the pocket!"

So I did...and I found these:

Then she said "Those are your tickets!!! For you and Uncle! Open it up and read what's inside!!!"

So I did...and this is what it said...

I looked down at the sweet, smiling face - and she said "Can you COME? CAN YOU?"

and I said "of COURSE!"

and then she said "We're so excited Auntie, Abby and I are going to school and we're going to make lots of friends, and learn so much stuff!"

and right after that, my heart was so full that it burst into a million peices...

*also, is my sister-in-law just about the most creative and crafty person EVER or what?

Goobers and Nerds

When I was about 6 or 7 years old, I remember my mom making my dad a homemade anniversary card. Actually, it was more like a POSTER, if you will. She had purchased different candies and made a poem for my dad out of the name of the candy. Of course it was extremely clever and creative, but at that age, all I could think about was EATING that candy. Heh...

So hubster and I are heading to San Francisco this weekend for his neices birthday, and since we missed spending Father's day with his dad, we decided that we'd just bring up a gift this weekend. After deciding that we wanted to do something homemade and "from the heart", I mentioned my mom's poster. Hubster LOVED the idea, and so last night we ransacked the candly aisle at two different stores....went home and moved the coffee table...and spent the next hour brainstorming and laying out the card...
This is what we came up with: (translation is below)

Considering it's so hard to read...this is what it says (candy names will be in parenthesis)

(LOOK!) It's an (M-AZING) Father's Day Card! You may think we're (GOOBERS) or even (NERDS), but (U-NO) this will make you (SNICKER). Dad, you are a (LIFESAVER) through all the (ROCKY ROAD)'s and there's (NUTTER BUTTER) than you. We always have a (WHOPPER) of a good time, because our (POP ROCKS)! We want you to (TAKE 5), do (ZERO) around the house, eat a (WHATCHAMACALLIT), and know that we love you (NOW & LATER). Mom says you are a (BIG HUNK) and a (HOT TAMALE), but we know you're a (SUGAR DADDY). With love from your (AIRHEADS), (SPECIAL K) and (M & M)

hubsters initials are M and M, so we thought that worked out well...hee!

We used double stick tape to stick all the candy down, and it's worked REALLY well. We're so excited to give this to him - and we had SUCH A BLAST making it and coming up with ideas. You should have seen us hauling through that candy aisle...we got to laughing because we figured if anyone was watching us, they probably would have thought we were from a really isolated foreign country...

"Look hun! POP ROCKS!"

"Oh my gosh, WE LOVE YOU NOW & LATER!"

"how about THERE'S NUTTER BUTTER THAN YOU?"

Trying to figure it all out in the store...pointing and laughing at all the different names.

We found one called "Krabbie Patties" - but couldn't figure out how to work that into what is supposed to be a NICE card. I also saw a box of "Nips" and said "well, we're not going to go THERE"

Hubster's dad will be on a year long sugar high after this...

Hi, and welcome to moviefone...

Hubster always likes to answer the phone differently. Sometimes he'll answer with fake chinese talk...and people will hang up thinking they've got the wrong number, while he just cackles and puts the phone down.
Or sometimes he'll answer as a local restaurant - or pizza place. Or sometimes he'll just answer in a different voice...mainly just to mess with whoever is calling. The telemarketers mainly...hehe
Sometimes he'll say "Hi, and welcome to Moviefone...if you know the name of the movie you would like to see - please press 1"
(remember Kramer?? "why don't you just TELL me the name of the movie you'd like to see!")
and then sometimes people will press a button, and he'll laugh and say "I need a better system!"

One day, he called my brother AJ's cell phone and left a message that said "Hi, this is Dave Masterson from the local police department. We show that your vehicle was involved in a hit and run, and we need you to call our office immediately - thank you"
We laughed because we figured AJ would see the number we called from, know it was us, and just call to give us a hard time.
Now, the one thing that must be said about my brother is that he is always trying to call me at work and pull a prank on me that he's a customer. He's NEVER ONCE fooled me, and I always know it's him...so hubby and I felt that it was time for some payback.

The next morning, I got to work and received a phone call from AJ. We chatted for a bit, and then I mentioned hubster's phone call from the night before...AJ goes "wait...that was HIM?? Are you SERIOUS??? I was totally FREAKED OUT the entire night! I got up early and called the police department!"
I thought he was pulling my leg, but it turns out that he really did freak out and call them....

hold on one second..

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA!!!!

He said that he called and asked for a Dave Masterson - and they said they didn't have a Dave Masterson, but they DID have a Dave...HEE!
So AJ talked to him and gave him all his information (thinking that perhaps someone stole his truck and went joyriding or something). Policeman Dave checked his record and said it was clean, and he didn't show anything about a hit and run.
Poor AJ didn't know what to think, but he was stressing about it...
and for some reason, didn't even THINK to check his phone to see what number the call was made from.

AJ sounded kind of ticked off at first...but I was busting a gut halfway through his story....I was laughing so hard, there was NO WAY he could have not laughed. He finally laughed right along with me...and shouted to some guys behind him..."Dude, it was my A**hole brother-in-law!"

I would think about that throughout the rest of the day, and get the giggles every time...I can't believe he got AJ so good...

and you know, AJ has yet to try and prank me even ONCE since then...