Heirloom or Crap Proposal

Joe and I had a great conversation tonight, well kind of. It started with the fact that we canceled a family trip up to my Mom's family property at Bear Lake for Raspberry Days the weekend after next. We are going to go to Fish Lake instead. Allow the explanation to follow.

We canceled because George W. should declare it a disaster area. The lakeside property has been in the family for over 40 years. There are three cabins with about 2 to 3 rooms each. Then the property/house across the street they purchased in the 80’s has 4 bedrooms - 2 baths and a lot of common area, 2 garages. The property is for sale. Therefore, my mom, aunt, cousins and some of their friends have spent quite a long weekend emptying it...into the cabins (thank you).

So the PROPOSAL is that along with my organization of our house that I get rid of HALF of our possessions. So get ready, it could be one huge butt garage sale.

Side note: the more properties you have the more you spread around your crap!

As much as my husband's children don't think I care about them, I don't want them or anyone else in my family to have to pour through our possessions and decide what to do with them. Once more, I look back on my experience with my dad's sudden death and Ma's (Joe's mother). It was awful to look through his crap (and some good crap) and try to figure out if it was worth anything or worth keeping. Sometimes it is a fine line between an heirloom and crap. I am just recently trying to distinguish why I have an item.

I will explain each item that is indeed a family heirloom. Yes there will be a list. We have many things from both sides of my families and Joe's. I want to make sure they go to that side. OMG! I think I am starting my/our (our possessions) will! I guess it is never to early.

Are you going to go out with me tonight or should I just go fishing? A love story

I was asked that question thirteen years ago this date. How romantic is that?! Back then was working as a temp at Freedom Mortgage and I smoked. On my smoke breaks, I would run into him. He really was charming but oh my he was old!

I thought I would avoid him but we magnetized to each other. I resisted and resisted to go out with him. I asked a friend “What do you think about Joe? Should I go out with him?” Julie said he was a really great guy and one of her best friends. To this day Joe insists that I only went out with him to screw up his fishing. Well, sort of, I just wanted to see how much he really wanted to go out with me. It appeared he liked to fish a lot so I set my lure (get it!? fishing humor?).

We went out that night I was extremely into listening to Blues and it so happened that night was the Snowbird Jazz & Blues Festival. We went there and on the way, we got lost. Who gets lost going to the canyon?

I tried my hardest to not like him by belching (I was really good then because I had a high intake of beer). Then we went into one of the buildings and I pushed him into the automatic sliding door bonking his head.

It was sold out, no tickets! But it was back in the day when you could grab a blanket, a cooler and sit on the grass behind their fence and just listen to the music. We had nachos and margaritas at the restaurant just above the music area. Then (Dillier kids ear/eye muffs) we sat and listen to the music and made out. We went back home and made out some more while True Lies played on his VCR.

(Ok you can open your eyes again)
From that night forward we have been together through some absolutely amazing adventures, some huge fights, some little fights, some boring times, exciting times. It hasn't been perfect but it has been real. But best of all we experienced it together. So here’s to another lucky 13 and beyond!

Rainmaker Weekend

We went to Fish Lake Friday through Sunday again this weekend. JP, Stephani and their dogs joined us.

Saturday Joe & JP went to Richfield to meet Wayne to golf and sell JP & Steph’s pontoon boat. Stephani and I went for a walk down to the lake with the dogs. We had an enjoyable time. Then walking back up the hill it started to rain. We thought, oh, it wouldn’t get that bad. Nevertheless, by the time we got to Charlie and Joyce’s cabin we were sopping wet. In addition, just the last couple minutes before that it was hailing on us. Wow, that hurts! I had no idea how the elements could be so harsh. I suppose it was the false sense of security since we were so close to the cabins. We took shelter under the eaves of their cabin. Water was dripping off of our noses. Joyce was home and offered everything from blow dryers to coats and umbrellas. We thought we could wait it out and make it to the cabin after it let up. Oh, it never did. Joyce ended up giving us a ride to our cabin. It is only about the equivalent of two or three blocks but in the downpour, whoa. The three dogs and I were in the back while Stephani rode in the front with Joyce and my precious camera. We peeled off our sodden clothes and had some cocoa with big marshmallows on top.

When the boys returned we went to Torrey for dinner at the Rim Rock Restaurant. It is one of my favorite restaurants. Joe and I shared our much loved “Lee Van Cleef’s Spaghetti and Meat Boulders” (do you get it?, Spaghetti Western?), while Stephani and JP indulged in a steak and a hamburger. We followed dinner with each couple splitting an “ice cream sandwich”, Rim Rock style.

And we continued the rain theme by going to Grover’s Hale Summer Playhouse and seeing “The Rainmaker”. It was another great production. We were sad to hear that it was the last night of their last play of the year. It was very well done once again.

Sunday morning we slept in and went to the Bowery Haven for breakfast. Jeff and Sue the owners teased us about coming so late for breakfast. See, they quit serving breakfast at 11 am and we have the reoccurring habit of showing up at 10:50 am.

Our plan to go on a hike was drizzled out. There were huge rain clouds over the area we planned to hike in. Joe and JP were deeply saddened and dropped the plan and us girls like hot potatoes. They called Charlie to join them golfing again in Richfield.

Joyce, Stephani, the dogs and I went for a walk. We really thought we could make it before the rain came again. Luckily we did not venture as far this time and we were only partially wet. Joyce literally rain away from us when it started, apologizing in Joyce fashion of course.

In the afternoon, Stephani and I watched the X Files movie in prep for the new movie.

The guys returned again and we drove home through the Lion’s Trail again. We saw a lot of wildflowers, deer and elk…in the rain…damn Bill Starbuck!

Yappy Neighbor Dogs

We have lived in our “new” house for a year and a half now. Ever since the day we moved in, we have listened to THREE yappy dogs that belong to the neighbors directly behind us to the west.

Now don’t get me wrong, dogs should bark here and there. I am embarrassed if my dog barks at the things for no reason. They should bark as a security measure or if you are playing, etc.

When Heidi’s dog Doobie was living with us, he really tried his best to reach them with his bite. Griz never really thought much of the effort and occasionally joined in and barked. Ozzy up to even yesterday, viciously barking and biting to catch them only for the little creeps to retreat back.

We have politely told the neighbors they should just have them debarked. She dismissed us disgustingly and said, “they are show dogs and you can’t do that it would disqualify us”. By the way, she dresses up these little idiots in the most stupid of outfits with hats.

It really does not matter if we are outside or inside, they bark, they bark at 7 am, 7 pm and all points between. I have had a mind to go over and ask her what kind of windows and doors they own because I believe them to be soundproof.

We really thought the novelty would wear off that they needed to bark at our dogs and us. I have really had terrible ideas on how to stop their barking. Poisoning, shooting, etc but I really don’t want to hurt them, I would be sick to really hurt them. Besides, it is not their fault it is their irresponsible and oblivious owners.

So last night as I sat on the back patio with my girlfriends, we were trying to have some dinner and conversation. The nitwit dogs barked for about 15 minutes. One of my last evil plans was to squirt them with the hose. I worried about what my neighbors would do and that I would piss them off. What? I am worried about them? What the …they have been pissing us off for 1-1/2 years!

I did it. I got up and squirted them with the hose. The wicked satisfaction of it all! It was fabulous! Then I went and sat back down and they started again. I told my friends “I wish I had a remote control for it”. I went inside to refresh my drink and when I returned my friend, Lezlie had taken our chairs and placed them around the waterspout. Each time they came up to the fence…they got a nice drink of water and a shower.

Today is a lot less noisy. I can hear them in the distance it seems. It sounds like they are switching it up to their neighbors on their south fence. Thank you Lulu, I owe you one.

Weekend Update

Joe, Ozzy and I went to Fish Lake Friday night through Sunday night.

Saturday: Joe golfed with Charlie, Ozzy and I relaxed and went on a little walk or two. And, I bought (a while back) a Sansa FUZE and some portable speakers for when I do massage so I won’t need to over use my laptop like I have been.

I spent most of the time TRYING to figure out playlists for Rhapsody. Why oh why does every music system PUNISH me by making me do new playlists and ratings. They all want you to; Napster, Windows Media Player, and has taken me years to tweak my iTunes, now Rhapsody. Luckily they are pretty much the same but some on people! Tell me the secret to just import them instead!

Oh where was I, yes, then Saturday evening as we made our way to the Bowery Haven for dinner, we saw 2 spike deer. Handsome guys, I think we will name them Bob and Randy (after the Harmon’s of course).

Then after dinner we went towards Torrey (about an hour away), to Grover. We went to the Hale Summer Playhouse and saw “Man with the Pointed Toes (A Comedy with Real Kick)”. It was a great play! The actors did a superb performance. Joe and I commented on how much we love going to plays and why don’t we do it more…yes, hum. I think I am going to buy us a season pass for Christmas.

Sunday, we slept in again, we watched the British Open as I made breakfast. Joe went fishing with Charlie at Otter Creek. Joyce, Ozzy and I went on a long walk. I spent a lot of the day wandering taking bug and flower pictures.

We left later than I wanted to (hem-hem) I wanted to see the wild flowers up “7 Mile Canyon”. We did get to see them but not with the light I wanted. I didn’t get any good photos. It had rained so it was overcast along with the falling light. There were more wildflowers than I have seen for years at Fish Lake. I hope they will be there next weekend too. We followed the road further on through the “Lion’s Trail” which is the road over to I-70/Salina.

Another great weekend! Pictures late Monday on FlickR.

My Guitar Hero, My Husband

This past winter Joe was at his son’s house and watched his friends play guitar hero with him. They were really good at the game. He told them, if you just practiced an instrument as much as this stupid game, you would be good.

Almost the next day, Joe went and rented a saxophone. I have heard him play before. He does pretty well still. He just gave his brother back his sax about a year ago.

Thursday nights for a few months have been Joe’s band practice night. Luckily for me they practice at Christian’s house. Christian does vocals, Dennis on guitar, Joe plays sax and the true glue of it all is Danny on the drums. See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kM-1ITZGBQg&feature=related or http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=10902066

So last night, Joe came home after brand practice with Dennis, Danny and their beers. They were just going to BS and drink a couple of beers in the garage. I really don’t understand why the garage. He pulls the Porsche out and puts chairs out. We have an acceptable backyard patio for BSing.

Then they brought out their gear and played. The next thing you know it is about 2 am. For a bunch of old guys, they sounded pretty good, at least Ozzy agreed with me.

I’ll let you know when “The Old Guys Garage Band” begins their world tour and what venues. I can get you a back stage pass.

(more pictures are on FlickR in a set)

Project July: It’s Worse Than I Told Myself! (a mid-month confession)

I kind of knew I had a problem. I try and try to procrastinate with my other bad habit of Match 3 Games. But as time goes on with this organization project, reality that I had been avoiding for so long has reared it’s wicked head right in my face. I have known especially for the last few years that I had a problem but not an unmanageable problem.

My dysfunctional organizational behavior has been going on ever since Christmas Eve… oh, but not this last December. Yes, since about kindergarten I have learned that if you have company is coming over you just put it in a box and take it to the basement. Out of sight; out of mind. Now don’t think I am blaming all of this on my mother like everyone who has had a therapist does. She has her own deal, I am more than sure (not even going to talk about her). But one of the points in the book is to look at how you deal with certain aspects of things and how learned/observed behavior comes into play.

I have made some progress though. I rearranged my massage therapy room. I spent an afternoon moving EVERYTHING around, several times. I took out 3 pieces of furniture and traded out a a console, a cabinet & small dresser for a larger dresser. It looks a bit better and less tight of a squeeze. The only thing is that I am not sure if I like how I have my books, etc. I put them on the shelf under my massage table. I might end up changing it later but it should work. I got rid of a lot of papers too. There will be more organization work later on the papers.

I hung a lot of pictures in there (some with Joe’s help others with the help of Command Strips) and I hung some in the hall just outside the room. I even suckered Joe into hanging my pagodas and curtain rod in the little half bathroom that I had been asking him to do since we moved in. I have another set of pictures I want his help to hang in the hall; my goal is by the end of this week. This is NOT part of the program but hey, it is progress!

I still have a whole other ROOM to go. There are boxes of papers, OF course boxes of papers to go through in the upstairs spare room. This might take 2 months instead of 1. But the good thing is that if I get through the spare room I can get a jump on the other months. If it takes 2 months to do 1, so be it.

I am really not “doing it by the book” but if I can get through that room, the rest will fall in place or at least the worst will be over with! Rippin’ the Band-Aid off! Maybe it is the 2nd glass of chardonnay tonight, but I think I can do it.

Desperate Housewife Indulges Herself

My husband went golfing early this afternoon/evening, stopped by home about 9:30 pm and picked up his sax for "band practice". So Ozzy Dogbourne and I made salmon earlier.

When Joe went to Alaska with Charlie last August they EACH brought back over 100 pounds of fish; salmon, red snapper & halibut. We just took the tail end...get it..?...anyway...we took it to Charlie & Joyce to smoke the rest last weekend. But I snuck one last big cut of King Salmon filet for ME.

I was going to make some for Joe and me but you see, my husband doesn't eat dinner really. He ALWAYS wants a salad for dinner...the same old salad. This consists of Romaine lettuce, grated cheese and Good Seasons Italian Dressing (in the cruet, my version with Balsamic vinegar), occasionally I might add any other salad items such as tomatoes or cucs.

So since I knew he would be gone and wouldn’t even care that I made something, I indulged myself. I couldn’t decide which way to make it so here are the three options (I drizzled all with olive oil, fresh lemon, sprinkled some red sea salt, fresh ground pepper, I used herbs clipped from my yard, wrapped up all in foil individually):

#1 I hit the salmon with garlic powder then hickory seasoning, and then I used my fresh rosemary, chives and Italian flat leaf parsley.

#2 My stand by always, it never disappoints: Salmon with Tarragon Mayonnaise (ok, Miracle Whip), this recipe is from “Pinch of Salt Lake” a Junior League cookbook. I used my fresh tarragon, chives and Italian flat leaf parsley.

# 3 this was my favorite and best by far: Maui Thai Basil Sea Salt from the Maui Culinary Academy (I bought last time we were in Maui), I threw in some fresh basil from my herb garden.

I took a sample of each preparation then I made a salad from a mixture of the leftover picked herbs and lettuce from my herb garden. How could that be better? I opened my finest bottle of Charles Shaw Chardonnay. I bought it at Trader Joe’s last month, this is aka 2 Buck Chuck. But it was really $2.95…it should be renamed 3 Buck Chuck. Ozzy and I sat on the back patio and watched the quail family in the yard, ok, I watched the quail and Oz watched me eat.

Ah, if I could eat this well every night. Honey, when are you going to Alaska again? I think I will go sit in the hottub now.

Golf, Fishing, Nature, Fireworks & a Rodeo in 1 Weekend?

(I will post more pictures later on FlickR, I have a lot!)

Only with Joe do you do all this in one weekend. Here is the recap...we left Thursday night for Fish Lake packed tight in the truck with JP, Stephani, Joe, Ozzy and me inside the cab of the truck. In the truck bed you found: Bailey & Molly in one kennel, 2 sets of golf clubs, a cooler loaded with food, several containers full of linens for the cabin, 4 fridge packs of Diet Cokes, Gatorade...you are getting the idea. It looked as if we were staying for the summer instead of a 3 day weekend.

Joe, JP & Charlie went fishing for the evening after we unpacked.

The morning of the 4th, the boys headed to golf at Richfield with Charlie. We stayed behind, relaxed and walked the dogs with Joyce.

Then when they returned all 6 of us piled into the truck and headed to the parade in Salina. We got there as the parade started and watched it in front of Mom's Cafe on the corner of State and Main. After JP had his fill of candy and the parade ended, we went into Mom's for dinner. The two most important things to do when eating there are to #1 come hungry, #2 order a scone.

After dinner, we fit a lot tighter in the backseat (4 of us since the front has 2 bucket seats). We drove around the town to where Charlie went dove hunting this last year and to the elk farm.

We went to the Salina Rodeo. It wasn't my first rodeo...it had just been a while since I had been to one. I forgot a few things like: wearing my cowboy hat and really just how amusing they are to watch if you can forget how inhumane the whole thing is. It literally looked like everyone made it from Sevier County. I wish I had taken a picture of the hillside after everyone arrived. In the middle of the rodeo, there was a guy behind us who caught a little snake. Stephani and I were very happy that he caught it before it got to our bench. We were all VERY happy that it wasn't a rattler.

After the rodeo there were the best fireworks I think I have ever seen for the 4th or 24th. They were right above us, huge and went on and on! Our necks were hurting from craning up for so long.

Saturday morning we all slept in, it was delightful! We loaded up the truck with what looked like a weekend camping trip, food, chairs, all 3 dogs, then all 6 of us inside. We went for a hike until an afternoon rain storm pushed us back to the truck. We drove around exploring and looking for big game. We saw a lot of deer and then elk (I missed getting pictures of the elk).

The rain stopped, Joe and Charlie decided we would set up our dinner camp with a great view. The boys got a fire going and we got out the hot dog sticks and the spread for a fabulous evening dinner. We had an after dinner game drive home.

Sunday morning the boys went fishing again, Stephani and I slept in then relaxed (are you getting the pattern?).

An all around American dream weekend. We are so fortunate for what we have. Thank you to all who serve our country. We are so grateful.

Packrats Anonymous

My name is Jen (Hi Jen!) and I have been a packrat all of my life, in fact before I was born. Now I am not making light of using the "Anonymous" premise by any means. My father was a recovered/recovering alcoholic before he died. But he was also a packrat, as was his father and so is the family. There are many a T.L. stories of what he hoarded. Example, printing presses, lawn mowers, cars, toy train SETS, a floor to ceiling and wall to wall - room of newspapers (yes these are ALL plural). Now don't think I am just picking on the Wakefield side, my mother, parents and her family is packrats too. Some parts of the family have it in check I must acknowledge.

My Grandma Betty's favorite story to tell was about in my youth; she came to my house and helped me clean my room. She found under the bed many items, her favorite were rocks, lots of rocks. I should have been a geologist.

I can share many more stories but this is a mere introduction to my secret world. Since moving in with my husband, I have pared down most of my collections of crap. I have the notion that I will use it or it is too nice to give or throw away. Part of my deal is that, my sweet mother raised me to use it up. She was a single mother raising 2 little girls.

Our family (mainly on Mom's side), were the original recyclers or was it white trash? We would wash the foil TV dinner trays and use them at our cabins at Bear Lake.

So what do I do about this? I do what anyone does, I buy, collect and hoard more crap...oh I mean I buy a book. The book is called "One Year to an Organized Life" by Regina Leeds.

I will keep you updated, at least monthly on my endeavors. July is "Fun in the Sun: Scrapbooks, Memorabilia, Greeting Card Collections and Your Address Book". I will return to it, it is a huge task for me and won't be easy. I hope to make it month #2 on my year.

Instead I am going to do "March; Organizing the Business Life". This has to do with paperwork mainly. For my purposes I will organize my papers, make a new office upstairs and reorganize my massage therapy room. This will lend itself to helping me get into July's task in the book. That is, if I don't end up going over.

From the book "Paper is the average adult's bogeyman". And boy-howdy, is that so true for me. I am going to dive into it and get the big problem areas out of my way first.

Whew, wish me luck!

So on that note, I’m headin’ out of town for the weekend! LOL! But I am going to be reading the book and doing the journal.

Cupcake Update

(Read previous entry before this one)

I have had just a few small bites of the actual cakes, they don't seem to blow my skirt up.

But there is ZERO frosting left on any of them EXCEPT that yellow one. Damn good thing I don't like lemon flavored bake goods. I don't understand, I like lemon flavored candy?

Friends Are The Frosting On A Cupcake

Last night I had my girlfriends over. We try to get together at least once a month. Everyone brought something. Lulu brought champagne and gorgeous cupcakes from So Cupcake http://www.socupcake.com/ .

These are their skeletons along with a straggler sweet roll from Amy. Luckily what we didn't sample as a group last night, some went home with others. But as you see there were just enough to get me in trouble. I have a frosting problem and should not be left alone with it. Honestly, if they were all chocolate they would ALL be gone.

The one at the bottom is safe, it was not cut yet. Hopefully Joe eats it tonight. I don't know if I can stand seeing it's perfectness any longer.