I sewed the felt bag and put homemade rice cripys in it for her. I hope she likes it.

Homemade Lavender bath salts.

1 cup of epsom salts

a few tablespoons of baking soda

a tablespoon or two of finely ground regular oatmeal (not quick cooking) for silky, skin-softening water

8 drops of lavender

Adjust the fragrance, just adding one or two drops at a time until you’re happy with it.

I start one of my new schedules next week. I’ll work from 9:30 to 6, which isn’t too bad. If this was Knoxville that’d be perfect, but since this is St. Joe it doesn’t really matter. It’s funny to hear what people call traffic and heat. But it’s no laughing matter when you hear them recall winter. All that talk of snow makes me shutter, but being German I should be able to tough it out. Of course, I guess we’ll see how tough I am when that lake effect wind and snow hit my bones.

This week we’re doing pretty good. We’re no longer living out of ice chests and have a refrigerator finally. I dubbed it ‘electric sex’ for anyone who can catch that movie reference.
The fridge is frickin’ huge. It easily dominates the kitchen. I can only imagine what that thing does when we’re gone. It probably intimidates the old dishwasher in the house. We’re supposed to have a range soon. We know it’s in town, but we’re awaiting a call to go and pick it up. So it’s straight up griddle cooking. Who am I kidding, I haven’t cooked a thing on that griddle. That’s all been Margaret. She’s been an awesome cook (even though she’ll swear that something that she’s cooking came from a box).

Let’s see what else. Gas prices suck here as much as anywhere else. Luckily we can go about 2 to 3 weeks before filling up. Still sucks filling up 40 bucks worth of gas when you just want 10 gallons. I’m just waiting for enough people to get fed up and finally join others like me in making the government the public servants that they ‘electfully’ are.

Other than that, that’s it folks.

I’m out!

Just sitting here after playing my new guitar (will have pic’s soon) and enjoying a small glass of red wine. Margaret is in the bedroom; possibly still watching Alton Brown on the portable DVD player; and relaxing. She’s had a stressful evening. The school we’re going to is trying to screw her in the grade department. She’s going down there tomorrow to get things straightened out. I just hope I don’t get a call from the police tomorrow, lol (I’m not kidding either).

Work is going great for me. Even though the joints in my fingers ache something fierce every morning, I don’t mind. I’ve been taking a combo supplement of Glucosamine, Chondroitin, and MSM to help with the aches, but no luck. Maybe if I took some Serrapeptase? Who knows. I know that the supplement has been helping Margaret’s knee out since her accident.

I’m glad tomorrow is Friday. I’m currently listening too Michael Hedges song “Fusion of the Five Elements.” It’s quite a relaxing tune. He was an amazingly talented guitarist. Too bad he’s passed.

Later folks

Last week I had a really bad allergic reaction to new deodorant and I broke out underneath my arms really bad. I had to go to the doctor and get a topical ointment, and the doctor told me I will never be able to use something with aluminum in it again. This is a good thing because he said that women who use deodorants with aluminum have a higher risk of breast cancer then women who don’t. He also mentioned that if the deodorant has over 12% aluminum then it increases your risks also. I guess I’ll stick with my all natural deodorant.

Today I’m going to the doctor (again). On Saturday I went ice skating with my niece and fell on the ice. I hurt my knee really bad. It turned purple and started swelling almost immediately. Now every time I bend it I feel like crying! I elevated and iced it up both Saturday and Sunday, but when I went to work it started swelling again. Last night I put both ice and heat on my knee and it took the swelling way down, and it’s not hurting too bad today. I’ve decided to keep my doctor apt just in case. Hopefully there are not cracks or fractures! I let you know what the doctor says.

Other then that not much else is going on. I promise to post again soon!!!

On Sunday Darryl and I were lazy and stayed in bed until 9:30am. Stopped @ Weigles to get coffee and then headed to Wal-mart to do some grocery shopping. Went to Office Max and decided to replace the 2006 calendar still hanging in the kitchen with a dry erase calendar. Darryl made my much awaited birthday dinner (lamb chops, herbed mashed potatoes, mushrooms in white wine, & broccoli) and while he was cooking I went through all my scrapbook magazines and pulled out all the layouts I liked. After eating dinner Darryl and I went for a walk and I took lots of pictures. Now Darryl is enjoying a bowl of ice cream with pineapple topping (yum yum) while surfing online.

For my birthday I got the movies cars & monsters Inc from Darryl. I also received “Thunderstruck” by Erik Larson from Kathy and Terry. (I’m totally loving Devil in the White City by the way, and now that the OT has stopped I plan on finishing it up by next weekend.) (PS Terry I’m sending you “Portrait of a Killer; Jack the Ripper case closed” by Patricia Cornwell.) Next weekend I’m going to my parents and I’m sure I’ll be getting more presents there. I’ll post about the little treasures I get.

Took this picture today while Darryl and I were walking, and since I love it I decided to post it on the blog tonight.

Some back story: I used to work for a major appliance maker where I invested 5 years. I was making good money and worked my way up a little bit. Since I was there for 5 years, I just earned 3 weeks vacation. But feeling a bit stifled I noticed an ad in the newspaper for an architectural drafter/designer. I thought, “Here we go. I’ll go here and work, since I went to school and got my degree in drafting.” Even though I never had any professional experience in architectural drafting I thought there’d be no way in hell I’d get the job, but (blessing in disguise) I did. With them knowing fully up front that I never had any architectural drafting experience prior to interviewing.

So fast forward 7 months: The owner of this home building company said he wanted me to go out into the field and learn how houses are built. He promised he would make time for me to do just that. What’s funny is the week before he was griping because I couldn’t build a house and I that I should know all the in’s and out’s (easy for someone to say who’s been doing that kind of work their entire life!!!). So this past week, my new boss comes in and said. “Darryl, with how fast our company is growing and you not having the experience we’re looking for, we’re going to have to let you go. You didn’t do anything wrong, it’s just not working out. So, here’s this weeks check and 2 weeks severance.”

I have to say I was relieved when it happened, because it was 12 minutes before 5 and I could beat some of the traffic. But most importantly, I wasn’t happy. I thought I’d have fun drafting, but I learned an important lesson that drafting was not for me. At least I have an Associates degree (what a lovely piece of paper).

Now, I’m busting my ass to find a job. I’m literally freaking out. It’s not like the first time when I was laid off when Margaret and I got married. We don’t live in an apartment with nothing and just each other anymore (God how I really do miss those times). We’re grown ups and have to be responsible, so I’ve spent 13 hours looking for a job so far.

Pray for me and us!!!

P.S.  The new Depeche Mode live album “Touring the Angel: Live in Milan” totally rocks!!!  I suggest anyone to get it.

The Football player: His name was Zak and can you believe it, he actually got white milk? Anyway, he just told me that he opened it up and hte smell warned him away immediately. See why I put his story last? I guess I could’ve put his first to build anticipation, but his story really sucks, just too boring.

I’ve been lucky throughout my life that people don’t get mad at me when I pull some stunts, especially when they can whoop up on my hiney.

On Thursday, throughout the day you would hear the “thwack” of paper hitting desks, windows, and computer screens as Hammy tried to kill these flies. To get a mental picture, imagine a lady with a big butt, gigantic breasts, that wears small shirts and tights. Frightening eh? Well this was comedic genius for me. Not only could I tell her distain for flies, but I witnessed a fat action fighter in the midst of battle thwarting flies from another dimension. I laughed to hard between her breathing hard and talking about how nasty flies are that I; for the first time; had tears welling up in my eye’s. Later on that day when Hammy had counted off the 21 fies that she killed, I decided to take out my fake fly in an ice cube and put it in my water. I took my water jug into her office and said, “Hey Hammy, check this out.” I held up my water bottle and she said, “Oh that is so gross. I hate flies, they are so disgusting. How did it get in there?” I made up some nonsense and she believed me, so I made it a point to drink my water whenever she was around. I really wanted to take up all the dead flies and strategically place them in and around her desk, but a calmer head prevailed…………………..

……………..till today. I placed my fake dog poop in an unconspicuous spot to give Hammy a reason why flies were in the building. She never saw it, so I took it up before the owner of the company I work for came into the building. This is what I have decided to do though: buy some Morning Breeze and hide it in the girls bathroom to make them think something has died in the building somewhere. This office only has a single men’s and women’s bathroom, so it’ll filtrate through the office pretty good. I just need to be able to keep a straight face, cause I was laughing my ass off when Hammy was attacking the flies. She even asked me if I was laughing at her.

Wish me luck, I can’t wait. Being the youngest buck in that place I sure do have my work cut out for me with livening that place up with “strange and bizarre occurrences” that they never thought of. I love starting new jobs.

That’s it for today. I’m gonna fold laundry and coax the wife into possibly watching Hogan’s Heroes, hehe.

Darryl was offered & accepted a position as a junior drafter with Saddlebrook Homes today. ***Yippee*** I’m a little sad because this will be the first time in 4 yrs that Darryl & I have not worked together, but I’m so happy that he is finally getting a job that will be both challenging & rewarding.On a personal note… Darryl, I know you will surpass any expectations the folks at Saddlebrook Homes have of you. With your easy manner, quick learning, knowledge, & ability you’ll have them eating out of the palm of your hand. I am so very proud of you for taking a chance & stepping out of your comfort zone. This will be an opportunity for you to move on to bigger & better things. I love & adore you more then words can express!