Straight from the Norse's Mouth

I'm Back!!

2010-02-12T10:48:00.000-08:00

Hi All!! It's been a very long time since I blogged. After my last blog, I just needed a break. That was the hardest few weeks of my entire life as well as my family's and I was emotionally spent. Of course we know now it all turned out fantastic and our little Graci is almost a YEAR old!!! She's a scrappy little thing! Nothing will ever get in her way, if she sees it and she wants it, she'll get it! I love you Bean!!!

A few weeks ago I checked out a couple of antique stores in my neighborhood and found 2 fantastic items! The first is an antique glass top small table that I'm able to display some of my favorite possessions. Bibles that were owned by my Grandparents as well as my Dad. A bible with a metal engraved cover that was my Great Grandfathers and was part of my Great Aunt Borgie's personal items. It's all in Norwegian. A bible with a metal cover that my Grandpa Bendickson carried while he was in the War. He carried it in his left front pocket, over his heart as a shield. Aunt Borgie's 'War Ration' stamps, a doily and a spoon from Norway. I'm sure I will find other trinkets to put in there, but for now, it's perfect!

My second find was an old 8 pane window. Yep, a window! I bought it, took it home, sanded and stained it and it now hangs on my wall and is framing 8 of my photos I've taken of flowers. It's awesome!!

My friend Jeff told me that I amaze him with my mad crafting skills! But really, I come by my artsy, crafty self naturally. My Grandma Bendickson was a painter. She painted some of the most beautiful paintings and I am lucky enough to own two. She gave me my first one when I turned 21. It is a painting of a Cockatiel that I admired in her home for as long as I could remember. In addition to my artist Grandma, my parents were always creating something when I was growing up. If they weren't Macrameing a wall hanging or curtains, remodeling our rooms they were painting the rooms in our house some crazy color or pattern. Ok, maybe it was Mom who painted the crazy patterns but she always roped Dad into helping! I remember Mom recovering several pieces of furniture as well. Including the chairs to my dinning room table that I use to this day. I believe the table, chairs and buffet (my sister has that) were given to my parents for a wedding present 45 years ago. And finally, photography. I love to take pictures! Some are really good and my sister says I should try to sell them. I'm looking into that now, but I give this artsy gene credit to my Uncle Steve (Mom's brother). From the time I was a little girl, I can remember admiring my Uncle Steve's photos that he'd taken. They were so beautiful. Anytime I take a beautiful picture, I say a little thank you to Uncle Steve!! ;-) I leave you with one of my favorite flower pictures I took last fall.

Cracked but not broken..

2009-07-10T13:28:00.000-07:00

In 6 days from today, my sweet little 4 month old niece will go into surgery to fix her cracked, not broken heart. She was born with a hole in her heart. Today we know she actually has 3 holes, 1 big and 2 smaller ones. Our family, both immediate and extended, and our friends have so much love for this little girl. It's amazing to me the pure joy one little face can bring someone. My sister and I both each had one child before little Bean came along, Levi(21)and Denika. Bean is the name I chose for Graci Nicole before she was born. I needed a nickname for her since I've called her sister Peanut since the day she was born 12 1/2 years ago. Denika (AKA Peanut) recently told me that I could call her Peanut forever, she would never get tired of it. I hope Bean allows the same for her. We'll see.... I know that I asked that everyone but my Grandma to stop calling me Neecie when I was about Denika's age. Grandma was always allowed. :-)

Everyone who knows me, knows that I am more of a spiritual person, not a religious one. I used to tell a co-worker that I was on dial up and she was on direct connect when it came to God. We always got a good laugh out of that one! Then when my cousin Brenda wrote on my sisters Facebook that she'd light a candle for Graci.. I thought what a great idea. What if anyone who wanted to would light a candle and say a little something to help Graci and the doctors and our family get through what will probably be the toughest 4-6 hours we will ever have to live through.. How awesome would that be? Since Graci will be in surgery beginning 7/16/09 @ 0630, and that's pretty early for most, so my thought is how about the night before the surgery. At a time that most people are home.. 8pm.

So, if you're home on Wednesday July 15th @ 8pm and would like to light a candle for Graci and our family, please do so. I am leaving for California on Tuesday and packed in my suitcase is a special candle that I will be lighting.

Thanks for all your love and support..

Love, Denise

In a blink of an eye, your world can change forever..

2009-06-18T12:38:00.000-07:00

I learned last night from a good friend that her 6(now 7)year old daughter was injured by a riding lawn mower that her husband was driving. Her leg is severely damaged and she will have a long road ahead of her to be able to regain any use of it. I cannot imaging the pain both her and her dad are going through. It makes my heart ache. So if you're reading this, please take these words from her dad with you..

"This horrible accident has changed many rules in our home and I hope it has opened the eyes, ears, and mind of everyone that has heard about it. All it takes is a knock at the door, a phone ringing, a dog barking, another child yelling, or a quick look at a calendar to realize that tomorrow is forever changed and yesterday will never be the same."

Well said Tony..

Mothers Day Weekend Recap....

2009-05-11T10:40:00.000-07:00

My Mothers Day weekend was AWESOME despite it's rocky start Friday night.

Around 2045 on Friday night, Chris noticed DaiZee Mae acting very strangely. Her heart was racing, she was twitching and she wasn't able to walk very well. We rushed her to the ER. By the time we got there she was wild eyed and drooling in addition to the twitching. They immediately gave her an IV with meds to try to stop the seizing (we called it twitching). The Vet came in to talk to us and told us she had been poisoned by something, it was definitely a toxin in her system. They wanted to keep her for 48 hours, give her IV meds, pump her stomach, do blood tests and finally give her charcoal for her stomach to bind what ever was left and she'd void it later. All that for the bargain price of $1300! Once I picked myself up off the floor, I asked for plan B. The Vet left and came back with another "estimate". This time is was $475 - $675. She whittled it down to a 12-24 hour stay, cut out the blood tests and the pumping of her stomach. And I asked for Plan C.. This time she came back with we could treat her as an Outpatient.. She gave her mass fluids, subcutaneously, gave her some charcoal and some meds for us to take home to stop the seizures. Once I received the bill of $192.88, I noticed at the top that they had written off $170.00 for charity care. I guess my tears got to them.. And I thank them so much! Little DaiZee is doing just fine! She made it through the night and only had to take 1/4 of a pill for seizures and by Sunday was back to normal. We really don't know what she ate. We do not have any pesticides or fertilizer at our house because we have pets. The Vet said it could have been a rodent that had been poisoned by someone in the neighborhood and DaiZee could have chewed on it. We are very happy she is OK!
On Saturday EARLY I drove to Seattle. I had drill this weekend with my Sea Cadets and we were at the Maritime Festival down on the waterfront.

The tug boat races were very cool! The day was beautiful! When I got home, I was in bed and asleep by 2000! I slept until 0700 Mothers Day morning..
On Mothers Day, Chris and I went to Ft. Steilacoom for the 160th Anniversary. We watched a Civil War reenactment and toured some of the old houses on the fort.

Then it was off to lunch with my BOY!
I met Levi at Los Cabos in Covington. We enjoyed a Margarita together! He's been 21 since last October and this is the first drink we've had together! He gave me an Orchid and bought my lunch. We had a really great visit! I love having an adult child! Even if it makes me OLD! I did remind him that I was his age when I had him..

My weekend was good...

"You're right, I'm not sorry."

2009-04-22T12:43:00.000-07:00

I wrote this letter today.. Thought I'd share..

Mocha Stop
430 E 25th St.
Ste 36
Tacoma, WA.
98241

22 Apr 2009

Re: Poor Customer Service

Dear Sir or Ma’am,

On 21 Apr 09, I bought a Mocha at your place of business at about 0640. I paid $4.20 for the coffee plus I put a tip in the tip jar. I received my coffee, said thank you and reached for a few napkins. I wrapped them around my coffee and turned to walk away. After a few steps I heard, “WOW. That’s a lot of napkins.” I turned to see who the cashier (curly brown hair) was talking to and it was me. Shocked I looked at the napkins in my hand and counted 4. I looked at her and said, “Yes, 4” and I walked out the door to the train.

Today I decided to give her the benefit of the doubt and try to make a joke about the number of napkins I took yesterday. When I arrived I ordered my coffee and the same cashier told me it was $4.20. While I was paying I said smiling, “I promise not to take as many napkins as I did yesterday.” She looked up and said, “Thank you, we like to conserve around here.” I told her it was 4 napkins, still smiling, “You’re going to call me out over 4 napkins?” I was completely shocked by her snide comments. She said, “We’re a family owned business and we like to conserve. I’m sorry you don’t agree.” I said, “It was rude.” She replied, “I’m sorry if you don’t agree, you don’t think we should conserve?” I said, “It was 4 napkins.” and I said, “You’re not sorry.” She replied, “You’re right, I’m not sorry.” I explained she has just lost a customer and I would let my friends know as well. The Barista who was making my coffee (she has always been very polite) asked that this not escalate and I told her I would buy coffee from her anytime, but not this other girl, she’s rude. The Barista tried to defend her saying she was actually really nice. Maybe she is, but she didn’t show it today. I have no problem with you regulating the number of napkins each customer gets, they do cost money, albeit, not much. Maybe you should keep them behind the counter and the Barista can give each customer one.

I am disappointed because I prefer to support the “Mom and Pop” types of businesses but I refuse to be treated like she treated me. Again I say.. this is over 4 napkins! She would rather lose a customer over 4 napkins! My coffee costs $4.20. How much did those 4 napkins cost?

EDUCATE THIS!

2009-04-02T10:41:00.000-07:00

A very good friend of mine posted a blog and I want you all to read it..

Shari's Bloggity

Thanks!

"Thanks for the Cool Stuff BITCHES!"

2009-02-25T14:07:00.001-08:00

To get to the 3rd floor here in my office building, you must swipe your ID Badge in the appropriate spot in the elevator and if you pass the test, you are able to push the button to get to this floor. If your badge does not grant you access, you can do any number of things to gain access. For example, you can get on the elevator when someone else is coming up.. You can ask the lobby front desk person to “swipe you up”. You can obtain a “Visitors” badge or you can simply call Shari @ 49247 and she’ll come save you! I’ve used the last option on several occasions! My point here is that yes, technically, our floor is a “secure” floor, but security is pretty non existent if you ask me..

This leads me to the reason I am blogging today. I was in our break room this morning and noticed this sign…

My first, second and third reaction to this sign was hysterical laughter! …….. “our own “SECURED” floor.” REALLY? Secured? AHAHAHAHHAHA! Oh, sorry.. I just broke out in laughter again.. My favorite line is, “We assume we can use this space and feel that our belongings are safe, but now we’re victims of thief!” I’m thinking maybe in addition to the posters Campbell’s Soup bowl, the thief also stole their grammar checker! “we’re now victims of thief”… Of a thief.. or thieves maybe. Don’t get me wrong, I do not condone anyone taking someone else’s dinnerware, but it is a public room that several hundred staff and visitors use. You shouldn’t leave your precious items in there if you want to keep them forever and ever. The odds are not in your favor!

I could go to Goodwill and purchase a few of the items listed and randomly place them on my co-workers desks.. Now that would be FUNNY! And lastly, the note at the bottom encourages anyone who was a victim to add their missing items to the list. A co-worker said, “I should add my youth.. I’m sure I left it next to the soup bowl.” BAHA!

…. Mad props go out to Jeff! He inspired the title of this blog! YAY!

Nipples Rule!

2009-01-06T10:51:00.000-08:00

I love this!
You must check it out!

Oh and I got a new puppy! Her name is DaiZee Mae and she's the cutest!

AND! The coolest of all... I'm on Google Maps, Street View! WOOT!

Go to Google, then click on Maps
Type in 401 Boren, Seattle
On the right click Street View
then scroll the pic as if you were turning your head to the right and VIOLA! That's me! Leaving work sometime last summer! I'm totally famous! And yes, for 5 easy payments of $29.99, you can get a autographed 8x10 glossy picture of me! Don't be late, CALL NOW!

Post Holiday Stuff

2008-12-27T10:09:00.000-08:00

When the snow began to fall here almost 2 weeks ago, I thought it was so awesome! SNOW!! Snow days RULE!! Ok, so one or two snow days rule, not 7! It ruined my plans for my birthday. Chris and I had bought tickets on the Snow Train to Leavenworth that was due to head out on December 20th. It was cancelled due to blizzard conditions in the mountains. So after 6 days stuck at home with Chris, Rollie, PugZee, DaiZee, Charlie and LuLu.. I needed to get out!!!!!!!! I braved the freezing cold and the foot of snow and headed off to work. It took me 4 hours to get there and 3 hours to get home. It was all worth it though! If I had stayed home one more day, someone was going to lose and eye! The next day it snowed again! So I worked from home, it wasn't worth getting out there again. The snow had gotten the best of me!

Christmas 2008.. My mom and dad rode the Amtrak train from Eugene, OR. on Christmas Eve, even though they were 3 hours late arriving in Tacoma, I was still very happy they were here. Levi drove down from Covington on Christmas morning, he got here just in time for breakfast. Crockpot hash brown casserole. Chris got up at 0400 to put the stuff in the crockpot and by 1000, it was ready! It was sooooooo yummy! We opened presents and visited for most of the afternoon and I then made Lasagna for dinner. Levi stayed until a little after 8pm and it was a good day!

Mom and dad left yesterday on the 6:15pm train home. I just talked to mom and the train was about 45 mins. late getting into Eugene, but it was a good ride. Today we have to take Rollie to the Greyhound bus station for his ride back to Yakima then Chris and I are going to the Pub at the Pike Place Market for a beer. It's going to be a good day..

I hope all who read this had a wonderful, family filled holiday! That's what it is all about!

4 more days until 2009!!

THIS JUST IN!

2008-12-10T14:35:00.000-08:00

----- Original Message -----
From:
To:
Sent: Wednesday, December 10, 2008 2:14 PM
Subject: UW Alert Seattle

Dear Denise,

Seattle and UW Police searching for suspected bankrobber near UWMC/health
sciences. Asian male, orange hat, dark jacket, white pants. Call 911 if
spotted.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ok so tell me, who wears an orange hat, dark jacket and white pants to ROB A BANK?! Really, white pants? It's after labor day..

Chris’ Rainbow Connection

2008-11-19T14:39:00.000-08:00

Last night I heard Chris yell from the computer room, “Ohhh, I think this guy is hitting on me!” So I went to see what he was talking about.

His Myspace default picture is this:

He received a message from some guy he didn’t know that included a few facts about what he liked to do, etc. The last line was, “So, how’s life on a milk carton?” Chris replied, “I don’t know, Missing?” LOL

So he asked me,”Do you think he’s hitting on me?” I asked if he’s visited his page yet to see? Of course, he hadn’t thought of that. He clicked on the guys page and the first thing I see is a BIG HEART with a RAINBOW on it! Yup.. he’s gay!

Of course I had to laugh hysterically and remind Chris that his orientation on Myspace said he was single and a swinger! It was pretty funny! Chris updated his page to say he was married and straight. When the other guy noticed this, he emailed Chris again and said he was sorry, he didn’t mean to offend him and Chris could delete him if he wanted to. Chris replied, “No, I don’t need to delete you I have other gay friends, everybody wants me.”

This is PRICELESS!

2008-11-06T10:24:00.001-08:00

Don't 'Cha Wish Your Boyfriend Could Sew Like Mine!

2008-10-28T10:49:00.000-07:00

Yep, my BF.. Sews! He's is making my Halloween Costume! WOOT! I bought him a starter sewing machine and we'll see how this costume turns out! If he's good, I just may enter him as a contestant on Project Runway! I will post pics of the final outfit on Halloween! So check back then!

Here are the pics of him sewing..

This is the fabric we chose for the top..

"All the Plumbers in the House Pull Your Pants Up!"

2008-10-22T08:43:00.000-07:00

A friend posted this on his Facebook but I had to post it here! It is the

FUNNIEST thing I have seen this week! (yes there is a short commercial first, but it's worth the wait!

Corn Mazes and Pumpkins!

2008-10-20T10:22:00.000-07:00

Fall is such a beautiful time of year! The pretty colors, the crispness in the air and Pumpkin Patches and Corn Mazes!

Chris and I went Maris Farms in Bonney Lake on Sunday. The farm is pretty big, has a beautiful view of Mt. Rainier and a HUGE corn maze! Last year, it was in the shape of the Washington State quarter, complete with the salmon! See:

This year it is a banner that said, “Land of the free Home of the brave” and it has an eagle on it. See:

We were lost for about an hour in there.. but it was fun. We then headed out to pick our pumpkins! We got two really big ones for only 10 bucks!

On our way home we stopped to get a bale of hay to complete our decorations at home. Here are a few pictures! ENJOY!

21 years ago today… My son was born!

2008-10-16T12:42:00.000-07:00

On February 14, 1987 I found out that I was pregnant. I had just turned 21 the previous December and I was unmarried. Yes, my friends, I was an unwed mother…. GASP!! My sons father was a ranch hand and appeared to be interested in having a family so we stayed together through the pregnancy. The day my son was born, I was so very happy! I was scared outta my wits but he was so beautiful! And I knew my family would be there for us no matter what.

If you’re old enough, you may remember little Jessica McClure.. She was the toddler who fell into the well in her backyard. Well she was saved just a few minutes after my son was born, October 16, 1987. I know this because the doctors and nurses and all the other people in the delivery room were watching it on TV while I was in labor, suffering! LOL!

Levi was a beautiful, blonde haired, blue eyed boy! I wanted a boy so very bad.. Girls are just nothing but trouble!  We lived in Junction City, OR and my parents moved to Seattle when Levi was 2 weeks old. I will never forget that day. I think I cried the hardest that I have ever cried in my life when my mom and dad pulled out of the driveway and left. I felt so alone. I wasn’t alone, I had my friends and of course Levi, but I still felt alone. I was determined to be a good mom! I went back to work when Levi was 30 days old. I worked weekends at the local Dari Mart (JC’s equivalent to 7-11). After a few months, it was obvious that Levi’s father and I would not work out so I made the decision to move to the Seattle area to be near my mom and dad. On April 1, 1988 we packed up the U-Haul and drove away. I remember riding in the U-Haul with my dad and I remember tears streaming down my face as we left the city limits. I knew, from that moment on, it was just Levi and me. I would need to do the very best that I can to provide a good life for him, teach him the best way I knew how.. The way my mom and dad taught me.

It’s now 21 years later and my boy is a man. And a good-looking one I might add! Thanks to my family who were there for us every step of the way, he grew up tall and strong and is such a great human! He has the “family” sense of humor! Which is good because we LOVE TO LAUGH! He recently landed a fantastic job which has the potential of travel all over the world, once he gets through training in Tulsa, OK. He’s not a fan of OK! But can’t wait to travel to Spain!

I know I could not have raised such an awesome kid without my family. And for that, I thank you all.. Mom and Dad.. the unconditional love and of course the gazillions of dollars you’ve spent on him/us, making sure he/we had all the things PLUS some that a growing child needs. The vacations to Disneyland.. oh wait.. you didn’t take me! RUDE! Really, thanks to you Levi knows how to travel. Which is good since his job will take him to all kinds of unknown places! And thanks for believing in me, we raised a good boy!!!

Just Another Bloggity, Blog!

2008-10-15T09:41:00.000-07:00

This is very interesting article I just read on CNN and I thought I'd share..

Oh and this is a great T-shirt!

MEAN PEOPLE SUCK!

2008-10-10T10:29:00.000-07:00

Recently I had an encounter with an extremely MEAN person. It wasn't pleasant at all and the wheels are in motion now to have it explained to him how rude, insensitive and just plain MEAN he was! I found this article and thought that I would share...
Why are People Mean?

Hiking and the Scandihoovian…

2008-10-08T08:51:00.000-07:00

First let me preface the story with the fact that last Tuesday morning around 0400 I tripped on a flip flop walking from the bathroom back to bed and broke my little toe on my left foot…OUCH!

Sunday I decided it would be fun to go to Clark Creek Park in Puyallup to explore the trails. This park is HUGE! It's densely forested and has a multitude of trails to walk and bike on. The weather was drizzly but not cold. Which was nice because by the time the walk/hike/mudding was over, I had my coat around my waist and I was loving the rain falling on my face.

Around 1400, Chris, PugZee and I headed off to find the park and check it out. The first part of the hike was fine, it was a nice wide paved trail. It wound around through an open area with a playground and off leash dog park. Then it turned up into the forest. We walked along taking in the cool air and all the sounds of the forest. We came to a Y and Chris asked me, “Which way?” If we went right, it appeared to go straight up and if we went left, if appeared it would be a bit more flat. So I chose to go left.

As we walked along, the trail began to get smaller and muddier at times. There were quite a few hills and the trail was slippery, but being under the canopy of trees, it was quite tranquil. It was rainy, but you really couldn’t tell since the trees acted as a great cover for us. We came to another Y and Chris could hear a “waterfall” to the left so we decided to follow the sound of the water. This trail was not as used as the other ones we were on and it soon came to a big mud hole! There was a small tree down over the mud and Chris was able to walk across it, PugZee decided to go straight through the mud and was covered by the time he got to the other side! I on the other hand, really didn’t want to try to cross the fallen tree because my sense of balance is not so good and I envisioned me looking like PugZee when it was all done!

Chris went ahead with the dog to scout out whether or not I should even try to get across. All of a sudden, I heard him laughing and calling PugZee. I couldn’t see them so I had no idea what was going on. When he came back, PugZee was soaked! He had found a pond and didn’t realize that there was water on the other side of a concrete barrier and PugZee just jumped in! This was a good thing though, since it cleaned all the mud off of him. Chris also found several smaller branches and placed them across the mud and helped me inch my way across.

Next up, we found the “waterfall”. It was a culvert. The pond PugZee had jumped into was feeding the creek through the culvert. We were able to get across the slippery rocks on up to the gravel road on the other side. We were walking along and I heard a splashing sound coming from the creek below. I couldn’t figure out what it was so I found a trail and investigated it. When I reached the creek, I saw about 15 salmon! They were swimming up stream to spawn! They were big too! After watching for a while and taking a few pictures, we began walking the gravel road again. This led us to the Fish Hatchery. We were pretty sure we weren’t supposed to be there so we found another trail that led us back to the original trail we were on and we actually found our way out. This was a 2 ½ hour hike, not too bad on a broken toe!

What I have learned from this is that I need a good pair of hiking boots and we should take water, and maybe something to nibble on while we are out there. Hiking on an empty stomach is not a good idea. Here are some pictures from our hike…. Enjoy!

Foxy Fantasy Females! WOOT!

2008-09-17T19:58:00.000-07:00

Short story.. I was invited to join an all female fantasy football league and since I know ZIP about football, I thought it would be fun! So far, so good.. Its been exciting and frustrating all at the same time. I am learning, VERY SLOWLY, about the game and I realized that it's not all about the TIGHT ENDS! LOL! Anyway, here is a clip from Inside NFL on Showtime. These are my team mates! Might I say that they fit the name FOXY! Thanks Jenn for making this happen!

Mall Shopping…… I hate it!

2008-09-08T11:51:00.001-07:00

I have always said, “I hate shopping!” And it’s true… I’d rather poke 2 hot sticks in my eyes! So yesterday, I decided I needed to go to the Mall.. Why, I don’t know, I guess I convinced myself I “needed” pants and shoes. I’m flying to Medford in two weeks to go to a Moose function with my sista and my parents. It’s a big deal for my mom and she asked if Deborah and I could be there. So of course we will.

Mom told me this weekend that there will be 3 “doings” that I will need “outfits” for. Now understand, I only wear Jeans.. I have one pair of black pants.. My “Just in Case” pants. Just in case I need to look half way dressed up. Well there is a meeting, a banquet and another meeting.. And mom said that I shouldn't wear jeans to the meetings, it’s frowned upon… And I can’t wear the same black pants to all three events so off to the mall I go…… UGH!

I started at one store, outside of the mall and found nothing. So I parked and headed inside….. It was crowed and of course the stores I wanted to go to were at opposite ends of the mall. So I started on one end and made my way through the crowds to each of the stores I had on my list.

The mall nowadays is nothing like the old school malls.. You know the ones that had everything neatly tucked inside little cubbies on either side the of narrow walkway. Oh no, they now have XTRA wide walkways and what they call “Kiosks” all down the center of said walkway. The Kiosks are comprised of one of the following…. cell phones, sunglasses, cell phone cases, earring pagodas and Swisa Beauty Products!

These people who work in these kiosks must be paid on commission because they are very aggressive and they all have the same approach. Here I am, minding my own business, making my way down the walkway and I hear every few steps, “Hello there, can I ask you a question?” Here’s the trick… NEVER MAKE EYE CONTACT! Never look directly at them and walk really fast! That worked for me for the first few Kiosks, then I was distracted by a shinny thing…..

Yep, I was suckered in by a tall, brown haired, brown eyed Russian or Ukrainian beauty.. She was gorgeous and I was mesmerized by her eyes. She worked in the Swisa Beauty kiosks and she proceeded to explain to me why I should use the products. She used Sea Salt (from the Dead Sea) on my hands. My hands were so soft when she was done! Then she started in talking about the Face Peel. She took some of the concoction and spread in on my wrist.. she talked about how this should only be done once a week, you put it on, wait, then rub in small circles and it will exfoliate your skin. When she was done, she showed me how the pours on my left wrist were much cleaner than my right wrist.

In the next breath, we were standing next to the cash register and she was ringing me up! I couldn't believe it! Do you know how much she wanted to charge me for a 1.1 oz jar of face peel? $65!!!! Can you believe that! She did say it would last a year though, but still.. I said no. $65 was just way to much money to pay for face peel! Well she ended up giving me her “employee” discount and I promised to come back and bring a friend… yeah, as if I’m ever stepping foot in there again! She was cute but I can’t afford her! LOL!

I tried the face peel last night and I did enjoy the experience.. If it really lasts 365 days, it may be worth it, I will let you know...

Post Script:
I never did find any pants or shoes during my outting to the mall... guess it's back to internet shopping for me

Why didn’t she just say no…..

2008-09-04T14:32:00.001-07:00

I’m not talking about Bristol Palin, I’m talking about her mom. Why didn’t she say, Thanks but no thanks to McCain? I just don’t understand. She promotes “family values” yet by accepting this, she has put her KIDS in the line of fire. Not just her and her husband, but her KIDS! I don’t have all the answers but I know if it were me and my 17 year old daughter was pregnant, I wouldn’t want to throw her to the wolves ie: THE PRESS!! I am Pro-Choice.. Bristol made her choice and I’m OK with that. I’m thankful that she had a choice. What I’m not ok with is knowing that her decision to keep the baby is now front page news all over the world. She’s 17!!! I’m not saying that they should keep her locked away either but come on… this is a bit ridiculous. I thought, we as mothers, were supposed to protect our kids as much as we can and I know they can’t be protected forever. But there has to be a point where your kids need to come first! Sarah Palin could have said, “You know what…. My family is the most important thing to me and I don’t think this is the right time. My kids need me and I need to be there for them.”
Here’s a new column in The Stranger… it proves my point….

The Stranger

Inspired!

2008-08-27T21:05:00.000-07:00

I was inspired by Stephanie's blog today. She posted a BEAUTIFUL painting of her that she got for her 9th anniversary. You must check it out! It looks just like her, down to that mischievous twinkle in her eyes!
Here is my glamour shot from the early 90's! I look like a lion RAWR!

And here is the pencil drawing that a friend drew for me when he had some time on his hands.... What do you think?

So Steph, to answer your question.... You put it where ever you darn well please because its FANTASTIC!

"Why?"

2008-08-19T22:14:00.000-07:00

"Why?" was the response I got when my mom saw my newest tattoo. When I got out of the pool last Saturday she said, "Did you get another tattoo?" and I said, "Yes, isn't it pretty!" She answered my question with a question. LOL! Now don't get me wrong, my mom is pretty easy going and doesn't care what other people do, but I am her daughter, so I'm fair game! Really, my parents have supported the decisions my brother, sister and I have made over the years, even if they didn't agree, the one thing we could count on is MOM and DAD! They were always there, and I appreciate it so much!

But the one thing my mom doesn't understand is my tattoos. Why would I want one, or two or the NINE that I have. My reasons are all over the board, really. My first one is a small rose on my right shoulder blade. I got it 17 years ago with a friend. We just decided to get tattoos! There was really no thought involved, I just knew I wanted one. At that time my mom was a bit distressed and said, "Where are you going to get it?" I promised that I wouldn't get it in a place where I'd need to "get to know" the tattoo artist first! She was relieved when I got it on my shoulder blade. I had that tattoo for years and really no one ever saw it, unless I was swimming. The next one I got on my right calf. I think it was 1998 or 1999. It's a star with a Yin Yang symbol in the middle. I call it my "break up" tattoo. I was seeing a guy who was against me getting any more tattoos so when he was finally gone, I got a tattoo! Tattoo number 3 is a sunflower at the base of my neck. I have no special reason for it, I just wanted one. Tattoo number 4 is some vines around the sunflower, that part was completed about a year after I got the sunflower. Number 5 is one that I have no excuses for, except maybe one too many Margarita's.. It's a bear claw on the right side of my neck, up high near the back of my ear. My boyfriend Christopher has the same tattoo in the same place. He thinks that makes us married. On to number 6. It's on my neck (right side) and it's some vines and a flower. Tattoo number 7 has to be one of my very favorite tattoos!! It's on my left wrist. It's astrological sign for Sagittarius and it's beautiful! Christopher got the Pisces symbol on the same wrist on the same day. Number 8! This is one that starts on one side of my neck and flows around to the other side. It is a dragon fly of sorts with flowers that trail off as if it was flying from the flower on tat number 6. I like this one a lot as well. Levi, my son, drew it for me! And last but not least is the most recent one. NUMBER 9! It's on my left calf and it has a vine with flowers as well as a Celtic Motherhood symbol. It sports a blue dot right in the center that represents my son. I think it's beautiful! I think secretly my mom thinks it's beautiful too! Right mom! :-)

Back her question, "why?" Because I think they are beautiful. Because I like being different. Because I can! I'm 42, I can do what I want! The best thing is that I know I don't have to worry about my mom and dad not loving me because I have tattoos.. I know they will always love me no matter what! I love you Mom and Dad!

Here are a few pictures, I won't bore you with all nine pictures!

The Joys of Gardening

2008-08-07T11:15:00.000-07:00

This is the first time EVER in my adult life that I have had a GARDEN! Woot! Woot! Ok, so I didn't plant it, nor did I tend to it in any way.. Chris did it all.. Oh wait, I think I watered it once! Chris has done a great job growing all the pretty green veggies! So far everything is green, but soon, then Maters will be ruby RED! YUMMY! I remember having a garden in the house we lived in on 95th St. in Vancouver, WA. I love fresh carrots and tomatoes.. I seem to recall tomatoes growing through the fence.. Hey mom, were those tomatoes ours or did they belong to the neighbors.. Oh well, I ate them anyway!

So here is our garden in the beginning.

And here is the garden NOW

We have 4 ft tall lettuce! Is it supposed to grow that tall? We have MATERS! They are still green but they look super fantastic! We have eaten several dinners that included fresh peas! The corn is getting pretty tall and I saw a cucumber! Funny story about the carrots... They have looked great, the tops are all green and really tall.. Chris pulled one up a little over a week ago and it was about an inch long and white! He ate it anyway. Is that normal? Last night he pulled up another one and it was ORANGE! YAY! But it looked a bit deformed.. Like it had a parasitic twin. For those of you who do not know what a parasitic twin is, click
here
Yeah, I watch too much Discovery Health!!

Chris planted pumpkins and onions too. He hasn't said much about them so I guess the pumpkin won't be entered into the fair this year. :-( Here are a few more pictures so ENJOY! And I recommend that you all plant a garden!

Omak, Washington

2008-07-23T20:37:00.000-07:00

Have you ever been to Omak, Washington? I have.. My mother was raised in Tonasket, WA., just a few miles northeast of Omak and my father was raised a bit to the southwest of Omak in Entiat, WA.
Omak has a population of 4,755.. Omak is the home to the very controversial "Omak Stampede and Suicide Race" The Stampede is basically a rodeo and the suicide race is just that.. a suicide race.. Since 1935 A bunch of crazy people get on horses, ride straight down the hillside, into and across the river.. up the other side and finally into the rodeo arena.
I spent almost every summer growing up in that part of Washington and yet last year, was the first time I'd ever seen the Suicide Race.. It wasn't much to see and really it was hard to watch the horses struggle.. anyway, enough of that..

I decided to write this blog because a good friend of mine, Cheryl, had to go to Omak for work. She works for the STD Clinic at Harborview and travels all around Washington State trying to make the world safe, one STD at a time! ROFL!
Cheryl is a very girlie, girl.. She has lived many places including Italy and Utah (LOL).. She was a military brat.. When she found herself in Omak, WA. she sent an e-mail to all her friends.. Here is the e-mail... I think it's the funniest thing I have read in a LONG time!
Enjoy!

"Hello Everyone:

Yes I am on the road again. I am now in beautiful Omak, Washington. You might ask where Omak is. Well this is a question I asked myself. It is in the middle of nowhere! Nowhere being the Northeastern part of Washington. What do I know about Omak? It looks a lot like Utah. I was told by the man that sold me my skirt at Brooks Brothers (I was stimulating the economy along with my new bike purchase, boxing gloves and knee and elbow pads, for skating people) that they have great beer and they have the Stampede here too.
Food, meaning restaurants in Omak it is slim pickings’. I asked the front desk clerk where she recommended and a man cut in and said there is only one place to eat in town that is any good and it is closed on Mondays. So I ventured off to the restaurant within walking distance “The Kola Grill”. It is a blue hair restaurant and I have been accused at eating at blue hair hours. Lord what a menu I finally decided on the ham steak (the seniors portion : ) ) which came with mashed potatoes gravy and fruit cocktail. I subbed the fruit cocktail for veggies instead. I told the waitress that I did not want any gravy on my potatoes and she replied "are you sure they are potatoes buds" and I said, "you are right make that a baked potato instead". Should a restaurant serve reconstituted food? This I would expect in a cafeteria but not a restaurant. I was hoping for a good beer as my Brooks Brothers salesmen told me but it was the same old stuff so I went for an ice tea (save the calories) which I was told was fresh brewed, it was instant. I heard the man in the next table ask about the house wine and he was told it was boxed wine : )! I would not recommend this restaurant unless you are looking for old nostalgia of high school cafeteria food. I think tomorrow I will have Safeway Chinese."

"I am late for church and don't want to go to hell."

2008-07-11T14:01:00.000-07:00

"Why were you speeding?"

- "I didn't know I was, because my lights are off."

- "I'm taking my friend to the hospital. He has alcohol poisoning." (The driver was drunk, too).

- After crashing: "I put supreme gas in the car, which caused me to lose control." (He, too, was found to be drunk.)

- "Don't I get a couple over when I am taking my grandkids to the airport?"

- "I get 10 extra in the fast lane."

- "My speedometer is broken."

- "Gas pedal got stuck."

- "I'm trying to catch that UFO. Can you try to catch it for me?"

- "I had a bee in the car."

- "I am late for church and don't want to go to hell."

- "I have been drinking and want to get off the road quickly."

- "I'm going to a divorce proceeding and if you met her, sir, you would understand why I am hurrying."

- "I am wearing really heavy shoes today and they make the gas pedal go down more."

- "I just got my license back from it being suspended and I am not used to driving."

- "My doctor gave me the wrong meds."

Ferocia Couture!

2008-06-26T20:02:00.001-07:00

Here are the pics from our night with Christian!

"Worship Me Bitches!"

2008-06-25T15:29:00.001-07:00

So I’m going to a cocktail party tomorrow after work.. It’s hosted by none other than CHRISTIAN SIRIANO! Winner of Project Runway! Here he is:

Tom & Shawn, Aaron & Randy, Sandy G are going, and of course, Cheryl (as my date!). I think Jaclyn is coming too!

Ok so this guy is a clothing designer.. and I have NOTHING to wear! I am going to stick out like a sore thumb! I have no “little black dress” that apparently all women are supposed to have in their closet.. I have no strappy shoes… I have these! And I rock them!

But it’s not going to rain tomorrow so these are OUT! Oh what I wouldn’t give for a visit from Stacy London and Clinton Kelly from “What Not to Wear”! Any ideas? Anyone? Anyone? Hello…..

Wish me luck!

Summer Solstice 2008

2008-06-20T11:50:00.000-07:00

Solstices occur twice a year, when the tilt of the Earth's axis is most oriented toward or away from the Sun, causing the Sun to reach its northernmost and southernmost extremes. Today marker the Summer Solstice, the beginning of summer.. In the Northern Hemisphere the longest day and shortest night of the year occur on this date. In 2008 that day is TODAY! June 20, 2008 at 7:59 P.M. EDT or 4:59 PDT.

And what a perfect day too. The weather peeps say it’s supposed to get to the upper 70’s today. The only thing that would make it better would be if I were home, sitting on the back patio with a fantastic Strawberry Margarita in one hand and a good book in the other.

Speaking of books… My sister has recommended a couple for me to read. They are, “"The magic of thinking big"; "Feel the fear and do it anyway"; "What to say when you talk to yourself"; "The Secret". I hope to pick up the first two up this weekend.

More random things.. I’m going to a cocktail party next Thursday hosted by Christian Siriano, recent winner of Project Runway! He’s FIERCE! It’s going to be fun! Tom & Shawn, Aaron & Randy, Cheryl & ME! and Sandy are going for sure…. We’ve RSVP’d! They are going to auction off one of Christian’s creations and the proceeds are going to Gay City Health Project. It should be a lot of fun.

Paraskavedekatriaphbia

2008-06-13T08:53:00.000-07:00

Paraskavedekatriaphobia means Fear of Friday the 13th. I'm not afraid! I even have a black cat! His name is Charles or Charlie if he's not in trouble. This morning we were doing our best NOT to let the black cat cross our path, but it didn't work. A friend Derick gave me two 4 leaf clovers he found and another friend Neil gave me $20 so I guess on this day, Friday June 13th 2008, I will buy some Lotto tickets! I figure what the hell... Someone has to win right? Why not me!

Things I would do if I won the Lottery....

Pay off my car
Pay off my bills
Pay off my parents house
Give my son enough money for college
Take my family on a vacation to Norway
Buy some land out toward Mt. Rainier
Build a log house

There are tons more thing I would do, but this is a good start...

Here's Charles! In the second pic he's stealing the dogs toy and PugZee is not happy!

Chooka!

2008-06-10T10:43:00.001-07:00

I just bought myself a pair of fantastic Chooka Boots! I love them! They are so comfy and I totally ROCK them!

Kmart is promoting abstinence!

2008-06-05T10:45:00.000-07:00

I found this posted on OMGblog and thought it was Funny! I had to share...

I thought Kmart's heart was in the right place after they stuck by Martha Stewart when she went to jail, but I've just learned that they are selling these disturbing, pro-abstinence sweatpants.

Aside from the fact that abstinence-only education has been proven not to work and is a dangerous substitute for real sex education ("A condom? What's that? Okay, just the tip. That won't impregnate me with your illegitimate child."), if I were designing abstinence-only bottoms, they most definitely would not be drawstring! One quick pull and you're in.

"Howard be thy name.."

2008-06-04T14:01:00.000-07:00

The following is an actual question given on a University of Washington chemistry mid term.
The answer by one student was so 'profound' that the professor shared it with colleagues, via the Internet, which is, of course, why we now have the pleasure of enjoying it as well :

Bonus Question: Is Hell exothermic (gives off heat) or endothermic (absorbs heat)?

Most of the students wrote proofs of their beliefs using Boyle's Law (gas cools when it expands and heats when it is compressed) or some variant.

One student, however, wrote the following:

First, we need to know how the mass of Hell is changing in time. So we need to know the rate at which souls are moving into Hell and the rate at which they are leaving. I think that we can safely assume that once a soul gets to Hell, it will not leave. Therefore, no souls are leaving.
As for how many souls are entering Hell, let's look at the different religions that exist in the world today. Most of these religions state that if you are not a member
of their religion, you will go to Hell. Since there is more than one of these religions and since people do not belong to more than one religion, we can project that all souls go to Hell. With birth and death rates as they are, we can expect the number of souls in Hell to increase exponentially.
Now, we look at the rate of change of the volume in Hell because Boyle's Law states
that in order for the temperature and pressure in Hell to stay the same, the volume of Hell has to expand proportionately as souls are added.

This gives two possibilities:

1. If Hell is expanding at a slower rate than the rate at which souls enter Hell, then the temperature and pressure in Hell will increase until all Hell breaks loose.

2. If Hell is expanding at a rate faster than the increase of souls in Hell,then the temperature and pressure will drop until Hell freezes over.

So which is it?

If we accept the postulate given to me by Teresa during my Freshman year that, 'It will be a cold day in Hell before I sleep with you,' and take into account the fact that I slept with her last night, then number two must be true, and thus I am sure that Hell is exothermic and has already frozen over.

The corollary of this theory is that since Hell has frozen over, it follows that it is not accepting any more souls and is therefore, extinct......leaving only Heaven, thereby proving the existence of a divine being which explains why, last night, Teresa kept shouting 'Oh my God.'

THIS STUDENT RECEIVED AN A+

Then and Now

2008-05-23T11:30:00.000-07:00

What was once called Decoration Day is now referred to as Memorial Day. On May 5th 1868, General John Logan, National Commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, officially proclaimed Memorial Day in his General Order No. 11 and it was first observed May 30, 1868.

My Grandfather, Milo Bendickson, enlisted in the Army on March 18, 1942 in Tacoma, WA. I found this information simply by googling my grandpa's name! I clicked on a link for the National Archives and VIOLA! There I found all of his information!
He was a mechanic. My dad thinks his rank when he left the Army was Corporal.
My Great Uncle John was in the Navy. He was a Radioman First Class or E6. He was killed in a car accident November 4, 1961 and is buried at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery Point Loma, San Diego County, California

My dad was in the Navy! From 1960-1963 he was a Navigator, his plane was an A3D Attack Bomber. His Squadron was Heavy Attack Squadron #4, the VIKINGS! (That's so fitting since we are NORWEGIAN!) He was stationed up on Whidbey Island, WA. but his squadron was on the USS Constellation when it left Virginia and sailed around South America to San Diego, CA. And again when the "Connie" headed to the far east. Hawaii, Japan and the Philippines were a few of the stops they made along the way. My mom has a red and black jewelry box my dad bought while in Japan or the Philippines while he was there. He hadn't met my mom yet, but he knew someday he would met "the one" and he would give her that as a gift. I have a plate that hangs on the wall. It has a bunch of butterfly wings under glass and it looks really cool! My dad got it while in the far east and gave it to his mom. It was something that hung on my grandparents wall for as long as I can remember. When my grandparents passed away, I was able to keep it and I love it!
My dad's plane.........

My son, Levi, had thoughts of joining the Navy. When he was 15, we signed him up for the United States Naval Sea Cadet Corps. "Since 1958 the Naval Sea Cadet Corps has been committed to providing American youth with a drug and alcohol free environment to foster their leadership abilities, broaden their horizons through hands-on training and guide them to becoming mature young adults." And it worked! He is a mature young adult! While in the Sea Cadets, Levi was able to go to Airman training on Whidbey Island and it is there that he earned the "Honor Cadet" award! Yes, I was very proud of my boy! He looked so handsome in his uniform! He then went on to spend 2 weeks at Lemoore Naval Air Station, Lemoore CA. It was there that he received an invitation to sail on the USS Ronald Reagan for a week during Flight Ops. My dad decided he'd like to go with Levi so he became an instructor for the USNSCC, shaved his beard (the Navy frowns on facial hair) and away they went! I was so happy for my dad and Levi. They got to spend a week out at sea on an aircraft carrier together! Who gets to do that kind of stuff?
Levi and his Grandma!

Here are some of the awards Levi received while in the USNSCC. They now hang in my office at home.

Well lets see.. My Grandfather made it to Corporal (E-4), My Uncle John was an E6, my dad was an E4, Levi made it to E3 while in the Sea Cadets and I will become Ensign Bendickson soon! Yes, I am an Instructor or the United States Naval Sea Cadet Corps, Blue Angels Squadron! I got involved when Levi was part of the squad and I've never left! I LOVE it! These kids are such wonderful kids and they get to experience so many things, things other kids don't get to experience.
Today we are meeting at the Lake View Cemetery in Seattle. We will be placing over 300 flags on the graves of our Veterans. After that, I'm going to Clover Park High School in Lakewood, near my home. The students there have on display more than 4,500 markers called "The Arlington Project" See Full Story Here where they pay tribute to our fallen men and woman who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan.

On this Memorial Day Weekend, remember the people who have given and continue to give all they have in service to this country, whether you agree with what is going on in the world or not.

The Anatomy of a Sea Bag

2008-05-16T10:17:00.000-07:00

Today I am headed to Indian Island, near Port Townsend. Indian Island is the location of the Indian Island Naval Reserve, which covers the entire island. No civilian residencies are allowed on Indian Island. Naval Magazine Indian Island is a major U.S. Navy munitions handling facility. Navy combat ships and Military Sealift Command vessels frequent Indian Island’s dock receiving and discharging munitions in support of U.S. military operations worldwide. The Navy also intends to service newly refitted Ohio class missile submarines (formerly SSBN, now SSGN) at Indian Island when these vessels come into operation.
And here is my luggage! A Sea Bag!

This sea bag holds the following items:
1 sleeping bag
1 pillow
1 pair of tennis shoes
1 small bag of toiletries
2 shirts
2 pairs of jeans
1 Towel
and various unmentionables

I brought this with me on the train this morning.. Derick was so nice to carry it up the stairs for me! Thanks Derick! Then I lugged it across the street and over to our shuttle. Once we got the Harborview, I was able to get it on my back, like a back pack, and lug it to my office, up 3 flights of stairs and WHEW.. I made it!

I am soooooo excited I can't stand it! I will update you all when I return!

Wall of Pooh and the Hanging Orca

2008-05-13T10:54:00.000-07:00

Stories like the one you are about to read have to be TRUE.. No one could make this stuff up!

My darling Christopher has a unique way of decorating. Granted, I don't own my house and really don't want to buy a bunch of stuff to fill it up since I will have to move some day, but the things I come home to are really just too much!

Once upon a time, there was a very bored Christopher. He really wanted something to do so he went to Walmart and there he found a BIG coloring book and some crayons. When he came home, he opened the color book and began to color. Neecie-pher was very happy because Christopher was so engrossed in his coloring, he was really quiet and that NEVER happens! He colored for a few hours and then went to sleep. The next day, while Neecie-pher was at work, Christopher decided he needed to hang up his fabulous art work. IN THE BEDROOM! Yes, we now have the "Wall of Pooh" in the bedroom. See below:

Now on the the Hanging Orca.......
Yesterday, while riding the train home, I get a phone call from Chris. He says, "I have a SURPRISE for you!!" I say, "Really, what it is?" He tried to tell me but the train was really noisy and I couldn't hear him so I told him I would talk to him when I got home. A few minutes later, I get a text-pic from him and it's a picture of blow up plastic Orca. I really didn't think much of it and went on talking to my Train Buddies.
When I got home, I headed into the bedroom which is SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) to change out of my jeans and into my sweats. When I walk in I see hanging from the ceiling the Orca! Just hanging there.. In the bedroom.. IN THE BEDROOM! a FREAKIN ORCA! This my friends, was my SURPRISE! from Chris. ROFL!

Have you seen me?

2008-05-09T15:20:00.000-07:00

Today management sent the following e-mail to our department:

"----- Original Message -----
From: Management
To: Staff
Sent: Friday, May 09, 2008 1:42 PM
Subject: Pens Missing

Per Management,

We are ordering way to many pens per month, especially the "purple pens". We need to secure all pens. In the last two months, we have ordered over 24-36 pens. "

Then we had a walk through and everyone's pen holders were checked to see, in fact, how many purple pens each one of us had!

Here is how a conversation between my friend Will and I went on Instant Messenger:

Me ~ They came around and checked everybody's desk to see how many pens and especially "purple" ones each of us had.
WILL ~I assume you hid your "stash"
Me ~ You got it! BAHA! I have 3 pens in my pen holder.. Black, Blue and one sharpie! Good thing they didn't do a backpack check!
WILL ~ I should send an email saying that someone is smuggling out purple pens and selling them on the Sound Transit black market.
Me ~ BAHA! I will be cleaning out my back pack this weekend! No more contriband for me!
WILL ~ put them in someone else's cube set em up
Me ~ OoOOOOOHhhh good idea!
WILL ~ wipe off the finger prints

London Calling!

2008-05-06T20:42:00.000-07:00

So I answered the phone today at work, like this, "PDS this is Denise." and I hear, "Hello, this is London calling!" YES, my supa sista called me from LONDON! She has been gone for like a million, gazillion years.. (translation, a little over a week) and I haven't been able to hear her voice. That makes me sad.. But today, YAY, we talked for a bit. She had just gotten "home" from work and there was some police type activities on the news and she was calling me to tell me that she was ok and it wasn't anywhere around her.. I immediately went to the CNN website to see the BREAKING NEWS.. and there was nothing...The funny part is, it was just local news she was watching and really no need to broadcast it across the world!!
She comes home FRIDAY!! YAY! Now I will be able to talk to her at least every other day..She did tell me that yesterday, Cinco De Mayo, she went to a fantastic Mexican restaurant in Piccadilly Circus, the one we went to when I was there.. but it just wasn't the same without me! I miss London.. Someday I will go back.. :-)

I'm a BIKER! YAY!

2008-05-04T13:57:00.000-07:00

Maybe the correct term is cyclist.. but either way.. We bought brand new shiny Bicycles! So now instead of walking every night.. we will be riding our bikes!
After a quick ride around the block to get my sea legs, we were off on our first ride. From our house to Wapato Lake.. around the lake and back home.. 6 Miles!

I have been officially Stimulated!

2008-05-02T10:40:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's true.. I received my Economic Stimulus check today! My first thought is that I want to SPEND it, but that's exactly what the evil doers want me to do. SO, I will single handily foil their plan by putting mine into SAVINGS! YAY! Yeah, we'll see how long that lasts! BAHA!

I have been contemplating moving to San Diego. My sister recently moved there and I miss her a lot. She lived in Portland, OR. for years and it was so easy to take a weekend trip down to see her and Denika AKA Peanut, my niece. Denika is 11 and in the 5th grade. She's just a peach! So smart and funny, yep, she gets it from me! I just feel disconnected from them. It could be that Deborah is in London now and I've not heard a word from her. That makes me sad, but the time difference sucks! When she's awake, I am sleeping and vice versa.

I like do the type of work that I do but sometimes, I just can't take the S#^! that happens around here.. I just wish for once I could show someone something without the freakin peanut gallery around and putting in their 2 cents of crap. AARRGGHHH.. I'm pretty upset right now.. I know more about the freakin system and the way the application works than the peanut gallery does and yet, they seem to be right there anytime someone needs help.. BUT THEY KNOW NOTHING ABOUT IT! But oh, I get.. "well that's your job, so now I think you need to do this..." FREAKIN DUH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BLAH BLAH BLAH! Now back off! Damnit, why do I let it get to me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I suppose I will keep looking into jobs elsewhere...

Norse of Course

Do you annoy your co-workers?

2008-05-01T20:34:00.000-07:00

Top 10 Annoying Habits at Work

"We like it slow..."

2008-04-29T11:44:00.000-07:00

Meet the Slowskys

Stimulated?

2008-04-28T11:47:00.001-07:00

So apparently the Gov'ment was going to begin sending our "Economic Stimulus" checks out today. AND if you are one of the gazillions of peeps who filed your taxes online AND your SS# ends in 00-20, you should prepare to be stimulated TODAY!
It's almost noon and I have not been stimulated.....

Watch this.. I am still laughing!

"I didn't know a cat was singing it"

2008-04-22T20:25:00.000-07:00

I just tuned into American Idol.. Just in time to see Jason Castro's performance of Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Memory". In the interview before his performance it showed Mr. Webber explaining to Jason that this song was from the Broadway show, CATS and it was sung by an extremely ancient old glamour-puss. And Jason's response was "I didn't know it was about.....I didn't know a cat was singing it".. I couldn't stop laughing.. it just struck my funny bone.... He didn't do so well.. Then the blonde girl, Brooke I think is her name, messed up the beginning of her song.. and then I turned the channel.. Just passing time until HELLS KITCHEN!! And contemplating moving to San Diego...................................

Galloping Gertie.....

2008-04-20T15:17:00.000-07:00

In 1940, The Tacoma Narrows Bridge was opened... and 4 months later.. the world saw Galloping Gertie!

Today we have 2 bridges, one takes us to Gig Harbor and surrounding places and the other one... the new one (just opened July 16, 2007) brings us back to Tacoma. But only after you pay your toll of $3.00.

Chris, PugZee and I took a nice walk today. We began our journey at the War Memorial Park on Jackson St. in Tacoma. We then walked across the new bridge and back again. Approx. 2 miles each way. It was a beautiful walk. You can visit my Myspace page to see some pics..

Buzz Kill

2008-04-17T15:44:00.000-07:00

I ride the train to and from work everyday from Tacoma to Seattle. The Sounder. I have been commuting this way for about 3 years now. I have met the most wonderful people while riding the train. We go bowling together, happy hour and in June we're going camping and river rafting.
One of our train buddies had a quad-bypass last Saturday, and from what I understand, we nearly lost him. Another train buddy went to see him in the ICU last night and he brought with him a basket full of books, magazines, puzzles, toys and other items we all bought for him. He was very overwhelmed and sent his love to us all, his 2nd family.
Today I decided to write to Sounder and thank them for providing this mode of transportation and I really wanted them to know how much my train buddies mean to me and this is the response I got.....

************On 4/17/08, Compton, Kelly wrote:

Thank you for contacting Sound Transit with the positive feedback on your Sounder commute. It is always great to hear from those who are enjoying their commute and making the best of the available seating. I will share your comments with the appropriate staff.

As a word of caution, please be aware that we also have a number of commuters who are seeking quiet rest and relaxation during their commute so we ask that all riders respect other passengers' privacy by keeping their voices down while on the train.

Do not hesitate to contact me if I can be of assistance in the future.

Kelly Compton *******************

And here is my response:

Thank you for the e-mail. I'm disappointed that after I write an e-mail thanking Sounder and telling you that I have met so many wonderful people using this mode of transportation, you would end the e-mail basically chastising me as if I were a child.

I wrote the e-mail because we almost lost one of our train buddies this past week due to heart problems and I was feeling especially thankful that we didn't and wanted to express my feelings about Sounder.

We all know the rules are printed on page 126 of the Transit Guide. Which by the way, a copy was put into the gift basket we made for our train buddy who is still in ICU at the hospital, for when he's feeling better.. he'll know the train buddies are thinking of him.

But thanks anyway for your "word of caution". After this many years, riding the same train, the same car, the same seats.. I think we know how to conduct ourselves..

I'm a Non-Conformist!

2008-03-31T11:53:00.000-07:00

ENTP - "Inventor". Enthusiastic interest in everything and always sensitive to possibilities. Non-conformist and innovative. 3.2% of the total population.

Extroverted (E) 72.73% Introverted (I) 27.27%
Intuitive (N) 51.16% Sensing (S) 48.84%
Thinking (T) 55.56% Feeling (F) 44.44%
Perceiving (P) 60% Judging (J) 40%

Take your test here

15 Seconds of Fame!

2008-03-24T19:17:00.000-07:00

My dog, PugZee Milo was on TV this morning!

Almost 365 Days...

2008-03-23T11:17:00.000-07:00

Tuesday will be our 1 year anniversary. 365 days! I am simply amazed that it has been that long. We have had our good days and our bad, but all in all... I think I've found my lobster.

Yesterday we took an Argosy Cruise from pier 56 through the Ballard Locks and into Lake Union. We had a great time. After the cruise we walked up the stairs to 1st & University had a nice cup of coffee at Tully's. Then we headed over to Post Alley, visited the Wall of Gum and finally walked down 1st Ave to Pioneer Square. It was a beautiful day.. I've posted some pics on my myspace. have a look.. and enjoy!

~Neecie-pher

HAPPY SPRING!

2008-03-20T11:26:00.000-07:00

Today is the first day of Spring! YAY!

My To Do List:
1. Spring Ahead. Done!
2. Spring Cleaning. Done! ( Well only because Chris did it.. Thanks Hun )
3. Plant Garden. Done! (Again, that was Chris who did it… )
4. Make spring cookies. (oh who am I kidding.. Chris will do
this too... He’d give Martha Stewart a run for her money
for sure! But his favorite is Rachael Ray)
5. Invite the kids to Sunday Dinner at Mom’s

Things that make me happy:

My dog, PugZee Milo

The Spouting Horn in Depoe Bay, OR.

Moose Tracks Ice Cream

Sleeping in

Kisses for no reason

When Chris makes up silly songs in the morning and sings them to PugZee

And reading this poem Chris wrote during our Thanksgiving trip to the Oregon Coast..

Once upon a time..
In a small villiage by the sea…
The Princess and the Toad, had Turkey and Tea…
After they had eaten all the bird and drank all the brew..
They sat around wondering what to do..
Then the Toad spoke up and said, “Lets go for a walk.”
The Princess said, “No, lets sit here and talk.”
The Toad thought about this for a bit and quietly said to himself, “Shit.
Next thing ya know, she’ll want to ask why I am a Toad and not a real guy.”
Then the Toad jumped up and ran for the beach…
When he got to the cliff, he took his last leap….

Moral: Silence is Golden

Peeps of Seattle

2008-03-17T12:26:00.000-07:00

This was too good not to post!
"Don't Tase me Peep!!"

For more peeps,

go here..

Under the picture, click on Gallery.

Enjoy!

KISS ME! I'm NORWEGIAN!

2008-03-17T10:07:00.000-07:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!! Are you wearing green today? I am, my green converse tennis shoes.. I have redhair, but I'm not Irish..

My father has red hair, my mother has.. well..technically it's Clairol number 109, or something like that.. anyway, when she was born she was a toehead but when she was a teenager, it turned to light brown.. So why am I a redhead? People always told me it was because my Dad had redhair, so I must have gotten it from him. NOPE! After some research on the subject I have found that in order for a child to be born a redhead.. BOTH parents must carry the MCR1 gene.. it's a resessive gene.. meaning, it can skip generations and at any moment it could pop up.. So my mom carried this gene even though she wasn't a redhead.. Her Great Aunt Bunny (on her mom's side) was a redhead. My Dad has an Aunt who is a redhead as well, Aunt Borghild (Borgie for all of you non-Norwegians).
My son is not a redhead.. But he's cute anyway! See!

Oh and the reason why some of the Irish have redhair is because my ancestors, the Vikings, went to Ireland, raped and pillaged, and left the MCR1 gene behind.....

Your Welcome!

Norse of Course!

Things I didn't know..

2008-03-14T19:32:00.000-07:00

Stewardesses ~ is the longest word typed with only the left hand.

Lollipop ~ is the longest word typed with only the right hand.

No word in the English language rhymes with month, orange, silver, or purple.

'Dreamt' is the only English word that ends in the letters 'mt'.

Th words "racecar", "kayak", and "level" are palindromes.. they are the same whether they are read left to right or right to left.

There are only four words in the English language which end in 'dous': tremendous, horrendous, stupendous, and hazardous

TYPEWRITER ~ is the longest word that can be made using the letters only on one row of the keyboard.

Bad Day..

2008-03-14T09:12:00.000-07:00

This is the funniest thing I've seen in a long time..

glumbert - Bad Day at the Office

Me!

2008-03-12T15:41:00.000-07:00

I like the word Random.. I'm 42 years old, I'd lived in the Pacific Northwest my entire life (except that brief 6 month stint in Chicago.. but I was only 6 mos old when we moved there, so it really doesn't count).. Born in Chelan.. Graduated from Junction City High School, Junction City, OR. My parents are still happily married after 43 years , I have one older brother and one younger sister.. I have a 20 year old boy (who is the reason I am the person I am today).. I think I'm the proudest mom on the planet! I have one dog, PugZee Milo and 2 cats, Charles and Zulu (you can call her LuLu)... I've been shacking up with Christopher for almost 365 days now.. I can't believe it's been that long and no one has lost an eye.

I usually enjoy most people's company.. I don't like cranky people, you know, the ones who seem to be cranky just because they can be.. I'm not fond of Sushi, asparagus, broccoli, well most veggies.. My favorite coffee drink is a Quad, non-fat, 20 oz., X-hot Mocha.. but not from Starbucks.. I prefer Tully's or Java Java coffee... My little sister is my best friend.. She pretty much the best sister anyone could ask for.... I say that now with a giggle because there was a time that I didn't like her much.. It wasn't until she went to France for 3 0r 4 months when she was 17 that I realized that I kinda liked her and wished she'd come home.. Ever since then.. I know I couldn't live without my Supa Sista! She has the most beautiful, smart, loving, sweet little girl named Denika. Deni (for Denise, ME!) and ka (for Kathy, our mom). She's 11 but looks like she's 14.. YIKES!

I have some of the most amazing friends.. Most of them are my train buddies.. Yes, I ride the Sounder Commuter train to and from work.. My mom tells me that she could have ridden the train for years and never met anyone and I start riding, and BAM, I have tons of fabulous train buddies.. We laugh every morning and every evening.. We even go bowling and to happy hour together.. It's great fun..

Well that's a bit about me.. Until Next time..

Toodles,
Norse of Course