So the other night I had a dream where my dad & I were wandering around and visiting and suddenly I realized he had blue highlights instead of salt and pepper colors in his hair like he usually does. I'm sure that means something important subliminally, but it made me smile, so I'm sharing it with y'all.
Today I got to have lunch with Joffree, it was fun as usual, and we ate at her work Sakana (http://sakanasushibar.com/) really good sushi, though I was a bit of a wimp and only ordered the fried and cooked versions. After we stopped by Lisa's work and had a good visit with her. I miss those girls! Joffree promises that she and Spencer will come camping again this summer. Perhaps I'll even get a chance to float the river with them.
Tulip Tree is the usual crowded hubub that has become our daily life. None of us can wait for it to be over! But we keep reminding ourselves how VERY lucky we were, and how NICE it will be to have a fresh start. In an effort to make our return to the shop easier we've set up a one box a day rule. Each of us goes through and cleans/labels/trashes a box every day. Hopefully by the time we move home again we'll be a lot more organized, and in the meantime we'll be slightly less crowded.
Oscar has come into his "terrible two" stage I think. He doesn't like work, doesn't like home, doesn't want anything to do with anything, and has drawn blood more days than not lately. I sure hope this ends soon! He has a new favorite food, Apples. He LOVES apples. That's the only part of the day where I can get him to be a good bird. I openly admit to bribing him when I just can't deal with any more biting or screaming. A slice of apple and a good game of peek-a-boo gets me about 20 minutes of peace and quiet.
My plans for getting to the canyon are advancing. Scott's working on the few necessary repairs on the camper (our outside shower was damaged during our Quartzsite trip this year, wiring on one of the camper jacks wasn't right, etc). I was hoping to get in a couple wherever camping trips before I head for Willows, but April's beginning to seem like an awfully short month...we'll see. I'm excited to camp host again, but I'm really gonna miss the Tulip Tree.
I have the best jobs! Seriously, I get to do two things I love, & get paid for it. I'll never get rich, but I look forward every day to going to work, and never have a day where something doesn't make me smile.
Yahzi just came to tell me that it's his turn to have my attention. Since he's so very cute and snuggly I'm gonna indulge him.
Hope you all had an awesome Monday as well.
-m
my life as a florist, camper, crazy cat person, individual
Monday, March 22, 2010
Friday, March 19, 2010
My My How Time Flies
Seems like all I do is Work, scramble to run all my errands, and sleep. Oh well. Such is the stuff of life. There are no grand developments in our life. Though I did have a really cool dream about how to remodel our bathroom...perhaps that's the next project.
My next big project is Steph Lamb's wedding. Most of the details are beginning to pull together, and hopefully soon I'll have a solid list of exactly what needs to be done on my part. It's gonna be a fun day for all of us.
I'm having one heck of a time stringing thoughts together tonight, and Oscar says it's HIS turn for my attention. I'll try to update again soon with better content.
Be well.
-m
My next big project is Steph Lamb's wedding. Most of the details are beginning to pull together, and hopefully soon I'll have a solid list of exactly what needs to be done on my part. It's gonna be a fun day for all of us.
I'm having one heck of a time stringing thoughts together tonight, and Oscar says it's HIS turn for my attention. I'll try to update again soon with better content.
Be well.
-m
Friday, March 12, 2010
A few pics
These are just a few quick snaps I got with my phone. I'll add more later. Exhausted tonight.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Quick Check In
Tomorrow is Lyndie & Kevin's wedding. I'm very much looking forward to good times with my Hillyard folk! I miss being close to them all! I've been a bit involved with the details via Mom and tagged along on a few of the shopping errands here in SLC. They're a cute couple, and I'm looking forward to watching them grow up together.
My good friend Steffy (Stephani) Lamb is getting married next month and I'm one of the official helpers. It's a lot of fun to help her put things together.
Work's still crowded, only slightly more organized, and only occasionally grumpy. However we have learned that if one of us has a bad day in that space, all of us do. I suppose that makes sense and it's a good thing we're all used to cheering each other up.
I'll try to post some pics from tomorrow.
be good y'all!
and if ya can't do that at least have fun!
-m
My good friend Steffy (Stephani) Lamb is getting married next month and I'm one of the official helpers. It's a lot of fun to help her put things together.
Work's still crowded, only slightly more organized, and only occasionally grumpy. However we have learned that if one of us has a bad day in that space, all of us do. I suppose that makes sense and it's a good thing we're all used to cheering each other up.
I'll try to post some pics from tomorrow.
be good y'all!
and if ya can't do that at least have fun!
-m
Friday, March 5, 2010
The Smoke is Clearing
But we're still putting out fires!
Craziness, we've been completely out of our other space and working in the tulip tree too for 2 weeks now. It's crowded, disorganized, grumpy, and best of all TEMPORARY.
Strangely everyone who suggests a new plan for the shop has nearly the same idea...that's good I suppose. I've made a paper doll setup sheet for us to share designs with and I believe that when things come together we'll all be very comfortable. It's just the getting there that's gonna be a bit of work and a lot of patience.
Adda & I went to Wendover Wedneday. Neither of us won this time, but then I didn't expect to. We had fun, did some relaxing and ate terrific beat salad (we both groov on the beets at the buffet). Those Bendover days are becoming one of my favorite parts of the mandatory Tulip Tree lifestyle :)
On the opposite side of my life Scott & I have realized that we have 2 months to plan, pack, and move into the campground. It's gonna be better than last year just because it's considerably more organized! I'm gonna miss my flower folk, but I'm selfish enough to do this. Besides, also I miss my camping folk! I fully realize how spoiled rotten I am, but I'm OWNING it and ROCKING it for another year! Besides, I gotta let my floral peeps cash in on some of my camping perks!
Scott & I are finally nesting into our house. A week or so ago we had a conversation in which it became apparent that we are not moving for a while...this wasn't a surprise so much as an acknowledgment of reality. We only planned on 5 years when we bought the house, but it's been 8 and where would we move to?!? It's horribly convenient for both of us. I do intend to keep tabs on local availability, but don't have hopes of anything we would afford opening up. So we're making this house be more of what we want. Besides, it already looks like a florist lives here RIGHT? Apparently book shelves were mandatory...such a small thing really. Bless IKEA, and we mostly agreed on style (I'll get my shelves later on).
Scott's setting up a fish tank. Our remaining river fish have new friends and a bigger house. Larry the intake surfing daredevil continues to reign supreme. The old pros seem to be helping the newbies figure out the rules rather quickly. I miss the round table (our three giant gold fish) but like the new guys too. I've yet to come up with a clever name for them, probably something borg-ish.
I let the tags on my car go out of registration and am stuck driving the rumble car. Scott REALLY NEEDS A MUFFLER, and no it doesn't count that he has the one that fell off sitting in the side yard! I miss my purple monster! Even our evil step child Chris wondered how he deals with the noise every day. I feel very validated. I offered Chris the headphones Scott makes me wear when I complain, he just looked at me funny...I must need to work on my dirty looks.
Off to bed now, happy weekend y'all!
-m
Craziness, we've been completely out of our other space and working in the tulip tree too for 2 weeks now. It's crowded, disorganized, grumpy, and best of all TEMPORARY.
Strangely everyone who suggests a new plan for the shop has nearly the same idea...that's good I suppose. I've made a paper doll setup sheet for us to share designs with and I believe that when things come together we'll all be very comfortable. It's just the getting there that's gonna be a bit of work and a lot of patience.
Adda & I went to Wendover Wedneday. Neither of us won this time, but then I didn't expect to. We had fun, did some relaxing and ate terrific beat salad (we both groov on the beets at the buffet). Those Bendover days are becoming one of my favorite parts of the mandatory Tulip Tree lifestyle :)
On the opposite side of my life Scott & I have realized that we have 2 months to plan, pack, and move into the campground. It's gonna be better than last year just because it's considerably more organized! I'm gonna miss my flower folk, but I'm selfish enough to do this. Besides, also I miss my camping folk! I fully realize how spoiled rotten I am, but I'm OWNING it and ROCKING it for another year! Besides, I gotta let my floral peeps cash in on some of my camping perks!
Scott & I are finally nesting into our house. A week or so ago we had a conversation in which it became apparent that we are not moving for a while...this wasn't a surprise so much as an acknowledgment of reality. We only planned on 5 years when we bought the house, but it's been 8 and where would we move to?!? It's horribly convenient for both of us. I do intend to keep tabs on local availability, but don't have hopes of anything we would afford opening up. So we're making this house be more of what we want. Besides, it already looks like a florist lives here RIGHT? Apparently book shelves were mandatory...such a small thing really. Bless IKEA, and we mostly agreed on style (I'll get my shelves later on).
Scott's setting up a fish tank. Our remaining river fish have new friends and a bigger house. Larry the intake surfing daredevil continues to reign supreme. The old pros seem to be helping the newbies figure out the rules rather quickly. I miss the round table (our three giant gold fish) but like the new guys too. I've yet to come up with a clever name for them, probably something borg-ish.
I let the tags on my car go out of registration and am stuck driving the rumble car. Scott REALLY NEEDS A MUFFLER, and no it doesn't count that he has the one that fell off sitting in the side yard! I miss my purple monster! Even our evil step child Chris wondered how he deals with the noise every day. I feel very validated. I offered Chris the headphones Scott makes me wear when I complain, he just looked at me funny...I must need to work on my dirty looks.
Off to bed now, happy weekend y'all!
-m
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Can it be over now?!?
I'm so VERY tired.
Valentines was understandably more insane than we expected. I worked out of our storage unit (same building but further from the fire), and Fran stayed in the smoke filled soot covered pit that was tulip tree. I know I got the best of that deal! Even still I came home every night with soar lungs and tired feet (the walk between our two locations isn't long but not so short the 80th time). Since then we've evacuated the shop and done a complete inventory and disposal of our merchandise. It's been a bit traumatic, terribly inconvenient, and rather exhausting. We hope that with our insurance and that of the building owners we'll come out ahead.
I suppose an account of what happened on the 9th might be interesting to y'all. I'll tell it from my perspective and try to keep from wandering too much. I had a busy morning and was a bit late getting to work...usually I'm there around 11:30 and have some time to get myself organized before I officially clock in. That Tuesday I was still at home at 11:40. Fortunately Oscar (my bird) was taking the day off, he really loves work most days but was in a very bitey mood. I noticed from a block away (half way to work) that there were a LOT of flashing lights in the area. As I got closer I saw that all the entrances to our parking lot were coned off and those lights were mostly on fire trucks...not good...so I took a slight detour and pulled over to be politely concerned.
"Excuse me officer, I work in that building, can you tell me what's happening?" Of course this was a day when I left my cell phone conveniently at home BRILLIANT. They were really concerned about exactly which store I worked in...
"oh the flower shop...just a minute"...reaches for radio on collar...
"is everything ok?"
"the building's on fire." straight faced. I started counting the fire trucks and trying to see anyone i recognised.
"is anyone hurt?"more speaking into the collar...
"if I park here can I go look for my boss"...blank look followed by more talking into the radio
"ok, park over there and I believe she's over by the sihk temple"
huge sigh of relief from me!
so I parked in what wasn't any sort of normal parking spot (hey, the cop told me to!) and hurried across the parking lot looking for any sort of familiar face. I finally found one! But it was Oscar (not my bird, the guy who's been training with us so he can open his own flower shop) who had been on a delivery and could only tell me who had been at work that morning. So we both wandered around until we found someone we recognized.
Have you ever noticed how many people chase fire trucks? I hadn't until i started sifting through all those faces trying to see ANYONE I knew. The whole time I'm imagining what might have happened and trying to see past the fire trucks and the army of fire fighters and gawkers who were swarming all over the front of the building. Seriously folks, have some pity. If you don't belong there, don't get in the way!
About the same time I spotted Fran and Sherlynn, I also saw the tv crew. Everyone was ok. We stood around feeling helpless and watching the firemen do their jobs for an hour. Before we could even get back into our store (what an adventure that was!) we had other florists calling us to warn us that the big funeral we were doing that afternoon was nervous and shopping for a new florist. Bless them, they told the customer that Fran had a whole network of florist friends and that she would get their flowers there in time for the funeral.
We keep counting all the ways in which we were VERY lucky. The fire lasted only 17 minutes from calling 911 till it was out. Fran was the one who made the emergency call, while she was also emptying both of our fire extinguishers onto a fire taller than her. The owners of the shop next door had apparently left their space heater on and then gone to lunch...or something...it still sounds terribly suspicious to me. But I'm sticking to the basic theory that Cozar was just a mean hearted, creepy, miserable little man, and his bad karma caught up with him. If that's the case then some of Fran's good karma must have caught up with her too. Cozar's video store is a burned out melted irreparable mess. Tulip Tree had LOTS of damage, has to be gutted, but will come back bravely and with hope. No one was hurt, and thanks to Fran's heroic fire fighting efforts the whole building didn't burn. It could have been MUCH worse.
We were only closed during the 2 hours when the firemen wouldn't let us in the building. Pretty amazing when you look at it that way. We hauled our flowers outside made up and delivered that funeral, then began making plans to get through the holiday.
Thanks to some good friends, a few precious customers who made us smile, and that fabulous state of mind where you just quit asking questions and just do what you gotta we did it! Oh and Scotty! He was the quiet hero who started by bringing me my phone while I was standing in a cloud of smoke trying to figure out how to put the pieces together and then a million other essential tasks. Crowned by hooking up a water heater for us so that we could wash vases and EVERYTHING ELSE, but most importantly our hands! Did you know that it's possible to scrub and soak in the tub for an hour and then have dirty hands again just because you moved your clothes into the hamper? Yup.
We've been putting in long hours and breathing in lots of things that will probably kill us someday, but the shop's empty, we're set up to do business in our storage unit (feels a bit like working in the snow shack did TINY). And we're just happy every day that we're not on fire! Now we just have to keep up with orders, do all the insurance paperwork, and choose paint colors. That sounds easy, but watching our home (Fran only goes home to sleep) get torn up and hauled away is a bit uncomfy.
Yesterday Mom and Holly came down from USU and we got to make flowers for the annual senatorial wives luncheon. This year it was focused on the space dynamics lab. FUN!!! We used all kinds of cool flowers and got to be ABSOLUTELY creative. It was a fantastic reward, and utterly exhausting. Today was the event, it went of very well, I got to see people I love working with (we've been doing this for several years now). No wonder Mom loves her job.
You probably can't see them, but there are space shuttles, planets made from chrysanthemums, and space wheat (ten points if you understand what that is).
I've made some really neat flower arrangements lately, and for once have pictures, so here ya go! The first one is a sympathy tribute I did for a friends grandmother she always said that if you were gonna buy that you had to get the shoes to match.
And this I made for Matt & Mason it was the highlight of my oh so wonderful Valentines Day.
Long post. Sorry, but it's been a long time. I'm beyond tired, and just want to go snuggle a kitty right now. Luv y'all!
-m
Valentines was understandably more insane than we expected. I worked out of our storage unit (same building but further from the fire), and Fran stayed in the smoke filled soot covered pit that was tulip tree. I know I got the best of that deal! Even still I came home every night with soar lungs and tired feet (the walk between our two locations isn't long but not so short the 80th time). Since then we've evacuated the shop and done a complete inventory and disposal of our merchandise. It's been a bit traumatic, terribly inconvenient, and rather exhausting. We hope that with our insurance and that of the building owners we'll come out ahead.
I suppose an account of what happened on the 9th might be interesting to y'all. I'll tell it from my perspective and try to keep from wandering too much. I had a busy morning and was a bit late getting to work...usually I'm there around 11:30 and have some time to get myself organized before I officially clock in. That Tuesday I was still at home at 11:40. Fortunately Oscar (my bird) was taking the day off, he really loves work most days but was in a very bitey mood. I noticed from a block away (half way to work) that there were a LOT of flashing lights in the area. As I got closer I saw that all the entrances to our parking lot were coned off and those lights were mostly on fire trucks...not good...so I took a slight detour and pulled over to be politely concerned.
"Excuse me officer, I work in that building, can you tell me what's happening?" Of course this was a day when I left my cell phone conveniently at home BRILLIANT. They were really concerned about exactly which store I worked in...
"oh the flower shop...just a minute"...reaches for radio on collar...
"is everything ok?"
"the building's on fire." straight faced. I started counting the fire trucks and trying to see anyone i recognised.
"is anyone hurt?"more speaking into the collar...
"if I park here can I go look for my boss"...blank look followed by more talking into the radio
"ok, park over there and I believe she's over by the sihk temple"
huge sigh of relief from me!
so I parked in what wasn't any sort of normal parking spot (hey, the cop told me to!) and hurried across the parking lot looking for any sort of familiar face. I finally found one! But it was Oscar (not my bird, the guy who's been training with us so he can open his own flower shop) who had been on a delivery and could only tell me who had been at work that morning. So we both wandered around until we found someone we recognized.
Have you ever noticed how many people chase fire trucks? I hadn't until i started sifting through all those faces trying to see ANYONE I knew. The whole time I'm imagining what might have happened and trying to see past the fire trucks and the army of fire fighters and gawkers who were swarming all over the front of the building. Seriously folks, have some pity. If you don't belong there, don't get in the way!
About the same time I spotted Fran and Sherlynn, I also saw the tv crew. Everyone was ok. We stood around feeling helpless and watching the firemen do their jobs for an hour. Before we could even get back into our store (what an adventure that was!) we had other florists calling us to warn us that the big funeral we were doing that afternoon was nervous and shopping for a new florist. Bless them, they told the customer that Fran had a whole network of florist friends and that she would get their flowers there in time for the funeral.
We keep counting all the ways in which we were VERY lucky. The fire lasted only 17 minutes from calling 911 till it was out. Fran was the one who made the emergency call, while she was also emptying both of our fire extinguishers onto a fire taller than her. The owners of the shop next door had apparently left their space heater on and then gone to lunch...or something...it still sounds terribly suspicious to me. But I'm sticking to the basic theory that Cozar was just a mean hearted, creepy, miserable little man, and his bad karma caught up with him. If that's the case then some of Fran's good karma must have caught up with her too. Cozar's video store is a burned out melted irreparable mess. Tulip Tree had LOTS of damage, has to be gutted, but will come back bravely and with hope. No one was hurt, and thanks to Fran's heroic fire fighting efforts the whole building didn't burn. It could have been MUCH worse.
We were only closed during the 2 hours when the firemen wouldn't let us in the building. Pretty amazing when you look at it that way. We hauled our flowers outside made up and delivered that funeral, then began making plans to get through the holiday.
Thanks to some good friends, a few precious customers who made us smile, and that fabulous state of mind where you just quit asking questions and just do what you gotta we did it! Oh and Scotty! He was the quiet hero who started by bringing me my phone while I was standing in a cloud of smoke trying to figure out how to put the pieces together and then a million other essential tasks. Crowned by hooking up a water heater for us so that we could wash vases and EVERYTHING ELSE, but most importantly our hands! Did you know that it's possible to scrub and soak in the tub for an hour and then have dirty hands again just because you moved your clothes into the hamper? Yup.
We've been putting in long hours and breathing in lots of things that will probably kill us someday, but the shop's empty, we're set up to do business in our storage unit (feels a bit like working in the snow shack did TINY). And we're just happy every day that we're not on fire! Now we just have to keep up with orders, do all the insurance paperwork, and choose paint colors. That sounds easy, but watching our home (Fran only goes home to sleep) get torn up and hauled away is a bit uncomfy.
Yesterday Mom and Holly came down from USU and we got to make flowers for the annual senatorial wives luncheon. This year it was focused on the space dynamics lab. FUN!!! We used all kinds of cool flowers and got to be ABSOLUTELY creative. It was a fantastic reward, and utterly exhausting. Today was the event, it went of very well, I got to see people I love working with (we've been doing this for several years now). No wonder Mom loves her job.
You probably can't see them, but there are space shuttles, planets made from chrysanthemums, and space wheat (ten points if you understand what that is).
I've made some really neat flower arrangements lately, and for once have pictures, so here ya go! The first one is a sympathy tribute I did for a friends grandmother she always said that if you were gonna buy that you had to get the shoes to match.
And this I made for Matt & Mason it was the highlight of my oh so wonderful Valentines Day.
Long post. Sorry, but it's been a long time. I'm beyond tired, and just want to go snuggle a kitty right now. Luv y'all!
-m
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
2-Alarm Fire At Taylorsville Strip Mall | Utah News, KUTV, 2News, Utah Community
2-Alarm Fire At Taylorsville Strip Mall | Utah News, KUTV, 2News, Utah Community
please accept this as a partial explanation of why I'm not typing a full update tonight. Not only is it HELL WEEK but we're dealing with the shop next to ours being MELTED and we have no idea what all the results for us will be. We're cleared to be open for business during Valentines, and we're not asking for more.
Yay I was on the news...that's a first...and hopefully a last! At least they didn't make me look like an idiot.
We're open, that's all we're focusing one. One customer at a time. I'm exhausted & having trouble stringing thoughts together. Mostly I'm very thankful that things went as well as they did. The shop that burned used to be part of ours, and in quite a few places the only thing separating is 1" plywood. We've got scorch marks and all kinds of heat/water damage on our walls. I inhaled enough smoke today to convince me that smoking is INSANE. There's gonna be a lot to deal with tomorrow, and probably every day for a while. But we're all safe, I still have a job, and we're gonna come out of this stronger for the experience.
Night y'all. Blessed be.
-m
please accept this as a partial explanation of why I'm not typing a full update tonight. Not only is it HELL WEEK but we're dealing with the shop next to ours being MELTED and we have no idea what all the results for us will be. We're cleared to be open for business during Valentines, and we're not asking for more.
Yay I was on the news...that's a first...and hopefully a last! At least they didn't make me look like an idiot.
We're open, that's all we're focusing one. One customer at a time. I'm exhausted & having trouble stringing thoughts together. Mostly I'm very thankful that things went as well as they did. The shop that burned used to be part of ours, and in quite a few places the only thing separating is 1" plywood. We've got scorch marks and all kinds of heat/water damage on our walls. I inhaled enough smoke today to convince me that smoking is INSANE. There's gonna be a lot to deal with tomorrow, and probably every day for a while. But we're all safe, I still have a job, and we're gonna come out of this stronger for the experience.
Night y'all. Blessed be.
-m
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