Bring on the weekend!

Here's the only pic I took while in Quartzsite (other than rasputin squash-long story). I'll have to beg Judy for pictures of the burrows and a snap of the road runner (he was only a few feet away from me and was just awesome to see). With her blessing I'd love to share them. This one I took with my phone out the car window while going 40 so the quality sux but you can still see how awesome the sunset was.

Wow, just saw a kitten on tv who was born without hind paws. My immediate response was to reach out with my 2 hands to my 2 kitties who are both touching me (pretty much constantly ever since we got back monday) and say "see you've got 4 paws, be thankful". I'm not certain, but I think that means I'm as broken as them. And then to prove the point I just wasted your time telling you about it. Yup broken.

Going to Avitar 3D Imax with a few old friends tomorrow. Should be fun, we're seated near the screen tough. I think I'll take dramamine before we leave home. Wish us luck!

Live Long & Prosper!
-m

some days you gotta dance

Not that I ever REALLY dance...but that seams like the right phrase for today. It was just one of those cling by the skin of your teeth good days. I'm still on mental vacation *haleluja* and things have yet to become complicated at all yet. Work is the usual bowl of cherries (not literally, but I love describing it that way & it's close enough). Other than Oscars new comando escape artist tactics Home is boring and painless (my boss and I took on a goal a night strategy this week that seems to make big problems bite size).
Our Lynn is back in the hospital with fluid in her lungs *tch tch* haven't been out to commiserate with her but will soon~
Made evil rice krispie fruit nut bars tonight...tragic...shall never repeat (can never, was a soma this soma that recipe).
Spazzy's angling for a name change. She shall be known as Snuggly if she doesn't soon change her ways! I think she's glad I'm home. Sorry Scott, they is Mah Kittah! Yahzi is still working on forgiveness, he'll come around soon.
Gonna go steal one more bite of gooey yum and then off to bed.
y-all take care!
-m

Even Dorothy had to go home from Oz

I'm feeling a bit like someone clicked my heals and didn't bother to warn me.

Tonight's my last here in Quartzsite, and I'm really not ready to give up my summer family and good times. Thom & Judy have done a good job of hosting us here in the desert. I'm really glad they've elected to come back to Utah for the summer. I just might have gone berserk without them. Strangely enough they are part of my sanity...go figure. The 3 months since we were all together seems like a very long time, though it did go quickly. I've very much enjoyed a visit Willow and McCuey too. Willow's my dopted furr people, and Mucker is my substitute feather buddy.

There's all kinds of fantastic things and adventures we've enjoyed here in the desert. I listened to coyotes howling at the full moon our first night here. Ate fried jalapeno cheese curds, bourbon chicken, REALLY good pizza, & indian tacos on deluxe fry bread *not all at once*. Shopped some of the BEST bead and craft suppliers I've ever seen AGAIN! Finally learned to make a wire tree from Judy (have meant to do that for at least 2 years now) and am ADDICTED. In the last 3 days I've made a wind swept willow, a red & green leaf twisty tree, and a very special Palm tree (I think that one was the most fun cuz I made up the pattern myself and had no clue what I was doing the whole time). I've also had two going on three good campfires...neener-neener Mike-n-Lisa! Add all that to no demands, no schedule, and friends who will pretty much go along with whatever you decide you want to do = GOOD TIMES!

Last I heard Lynn's busting out of the rehab place on Tuesday HAPPY DANCE! My mom chatted with me while walking laps around the rec center where the Andersens had their holiday party, sounds like it was another hit. Our Hillyard party was the usual Yeehaw, a few new faces (can you believe that my little Lyndie is getting married? i can't!). Also Eric has found a girl who knows how to deal with his attitude. I believe she deserves a metal :) Grumpa was sick and couldn't make it, but I had a good visit with him and have heard he's doing a bit better. We didn't really have a Brown family party yet, but are looking forward to one once Lynn's home and up for the company (I've already come up with an fantastic/evil present to give Mason on the occasion).

You will all have to forgive my brevity. There's a beautiful campfire outside surrounded by three of my favorite people. I can't resist.

...there's no place like home...
-m

Funny how things work out.

I was very much in the mood for a good narrative post a while ago, but now only want to check in and say s'ok.

Went shopping with my darlin cousins, had a good day, came home and will share the fun stories later.

My Hillyard family holiday party is tomorrow. Looking forward to good times with my crazy beloved ones.

More later.
-m

Oh what a whirlwind!

I'm a BAD blogger. I'm sorry. I'd promise to improve but I keep running out of umph.

I will promise to update while we're camped with Thom & Judy. I'll be on vacation and thus hopefully will have time to put together a few thoughts. Though I do plan to just absolutely enjoy the hell out of every minute while I'm there.

Lynn's doing better every day, in a recovery center and making plans for going home. She's an amazing example of patience and positive attitude. I am truly a wimp. I couldn't do what she's doing. Especially not with her kind of attitude. I love that woman, and hope to be like her when I grow up.

Scott's still keeping his head down and trying not to scream bloody murder at work. The same issues the always surface between semesters keep popping up. Perhaps it's good that the same things keep being the problems, he's gotten very good at repeating the same old answers and then fixing things in time to keep everyone happy. He spends most of his evenings playing a game called Left For Dead. As far as I can tell it's people with guns running amongst Zombies. He plays online with other equally engrossed geeks and seems to enjoy himself.

I procrastinated my christmas shopping this year and am just barely finishing...I'd like to say never again. But I'm pretty sure that won't happen. Tomorrow I'm going shopping with Lyndie, Jamie, and Kelcee (my younger Hillyard girl cousins) in Park City. We're making an adventure of it and spending the night in a hotel. I am SO excited. It's kinda silly. I haven't had near enough time with those girls lately, and even if we were planning to lick envelopes all day I think I'd still be excited. They always remind me of the parts of myself that make me smile. Or maybe they just make me stretch those parts. Or they are those parts...whatever.

Mom and the Aunts were going to join us for Saturday, but Grandpa checked into the hospital this afternoon, so they're all staying home to be responsible. Guess this is where I'm happy to be part of the kids crowd. I know how to be responsible but sometimes get to not be without too much guilt.

Work has been INSANE this week. Wednesday we did 34 orders. A normal busy day is 20 orders. 34 is a lot when you also consider that we were getting ahead of time orders for next week too. Also our holiday elves have been busy cleaning and organizing the shop. I believe that due to their efforts we may just come out of the holiday organized. I really love my job. The people I get to work with make me smile even when we ALL want to cry and stomp our feet. Going into a crazy holiday isn't so much preparing to tear our hair out as thinking of new ways to help each other get around the challenges. It doesn't make the obstacles any smaller, but knowing that you're part of a team sure makes it less frustrating.

I got a call from my canyon manager this week. I'm officially headed back to the campground. I love that job too. I really am blessed to have 2 places I love being that are my job. Yes it's work and I wouldn't do some of it if no one was paying me. But as horrible irksome projects go, most of it rates 0 to none. So on average both jobs rate 2 or 3. Wouldn't trade most folks for that.

I'm missing my quiet downtime. As many fun and interesting things as there are to do here in civilization, I sorta miss the nights where I got bored and just stared at the campfire and stars for an hour or two.

We're very much looking forward to a visit with Thom & Judy. I've lined up pet & house sitters. Oscar's going to live at work for a week, spending some of his time with a Stack, a giant boxer puppy(well less and less of a puppy every day). They're friends with very specific boundaries. Mostly Ocsar in cage, Stack outside cage. They have no issue being right next to each other, but it sure makes the rest of us cringe! Oscar loves work and will no doubt be spoiled rotten and have new words to share by the time we get back. I wish I could give him a visit with Judy & Mucuey but don't want to torture the bird or Scott with that many hours in the truck together.


We're spending christmas eve with Mathew. I'm looking forward to an awesome evening with two of my favorite people.

It' s now much later than I realized, and I'm getting up early tomorrow to get in a few hours work before my girlies arive and whisk me away.

Happy Holidays to all y'all! And don't forget the eggnog!
-m

still alive

Oh my, so much to write down and so few words that come to mind.

Between personal and professional stresses I managed to put myself through the worst set of muscle spasms I've had in 10+ years.

But Lynn's out of the hospital, I'm still alive, and things are getting back to normal.

I do however claim full absolution from guilt over what I haven't been able to get done. It's been a very long month, and my blog just didn't hit the top ten on the priority list. Typing is just barely an option tonight. I hate to be a whiner but MY BACK SUCKS!!!!!

I got the most thoughtful present from a good friend this week. Judy sent me a purple & green hummingbird. It's gorgeous! I hung it above my workstation at Tulip Tree and it makes me smile every time I see it. I don't usually have a bad day there, but that hummer sure makes me smile while I'm workin'.

Scott & I re arranged our living room for the first time in 7 years. The floor plan came to me in a dream...odd huh. But it seems to work. Perhaps I was actually stumbling around the living room while sleepwalking and had an idea. Either way, it seems good. We'll end up with a sitting/reading area and a tv area. Instead of a junk area, and a tv area. Room's big enough we should USE it right? I'm hoping we like it long term.

Been typing enough to set of a back spasm so I'll stop now. Also husband is absurdly...present tonight, and playing Don Edwards *my fav*, perhaps it's the new room layout...anyhow, g'night!
-m