November in a Nutshell

I’m not sure what happened to November, but it flew by. So here is November in a nutshell:

School
 Decided to go back to school. Actually, I have been wanting to do this for long time, but it just never seemed to work out until now (and still everything in tentative). It was a stressful month trying to figure out the direction that would be the most beneficial in the shortest amount of time. Lots of going back to the drawing board only to end up where I first started. I’ve been accepted to the program, had the student loan approved, and now waiting for the school to approve the student loan so that I can enroll in my first two classes. All goes well, starting in January I will be getting a Certificate in Meeting and Event Management from the University of Massachusetts. If everything goes according to schedule, I should be finishing up this time next year. Nervous about going to school online (requires much discipline on my part) but excited to finally have a speck of light and the end of this tunnel that has felt like a dead end.

Mixer

I recently posted about my mixer that was leaking oil. Getting it fixed was going to be pricy, so I was going to borrow my mom’s through the holidays. Well, my mom went off and left hers at her house before coming to see me Thanksgiving. Even though I wanted a larger mixer, I was okay with getting mine fixed, but after my mom forgot hers, we decided to price them the day after Thanksgiving and she said if we found a good deal, she would get it for me as an early birthday present. As luck would have it, we ran across this is Sears:

It’s a Kenmore instead of a KitchenAid, but many of the accessories I had for my KitchenAid fit the Kenmore, plus the Kenmore has a more powerful motor than the KitchenAid of equal bowl size and over $100 less. I’m looking forward to putting it to use. Now I just have to figure out what to do with my old mixer. I hate to just throw it in the trash, but not sure where to recycle something like that. A co-worker suggested putting it on Craig’s List which I might do because if someone is mechanical and knows how to repair small engines, they might be able to fix it.

 

Window

This was the most eventful part of my weekend. Wednesday night, a fly ended up in my house. I spent the next two days trying to kill it but was not successful. Friday afternoon, I was in the other room when I heard my say “Oh No Stacey!” I walk into the kitchen and she has her hands on her face and just kept saying “I’m so sorry!” I look up to see a big hole in my window. My mom saw the fly land on the window and thought it would be a good idea to just smack it with her hand. Problem: 1) it was really cold outside and 2) my windows are really thin. She got rid of the fly all right…and put a big hole in my window in the process. So I now own the title of neighborhood redneck until Wednesday.

And sadly, a JCPenney sack and duct tape is equally energy efficient as my current windows.

BTW, the place that was recommended to me by a local hardware store is almost $100 cheaper than any of the other places I called. If they do a good job, I’ll let you know.

Anniversary

I have officially been in my house five years today (just realized that).  What is monumental about this five year point is that I can now officially sell without penalty.  Not that I plan to do that anytime soon, but I can.  I remember when five years seemed so far off, but it has flown by.  Wish I had time to reflect more on those five years or do an anniversary special linking to all the highlights, but I really don't even have time to write this...but I didn't want to let the moment pass.  So happy 5th Anniversary to me.  The only anniversary I'll probably ever celebrate. ;o)

In Case Your Wondering

If by some off chance you noticed that my Etsy box is blank...its because my shop is on an indefinate vacation.  Over the weekend I noticed that my mixer is leaking oil...badly.  Since oil in cookies would not be good for business, I am temporarily out of the cooking making business until 1) I can afford to get it fixed or 2) I can afford a new one.  Neither is looking good at the moment.  This might just be the first year in FOREVER that I won't make Christmas cookies.  But, my mixer is not required to make pies so this may be a total pie year.

New Favorite Website

A friend sent me a link to the Pioneer Woman's blog today because of these.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE them (might just have to get some).  But they came from this website which I totally love because it is so my sense of humor.  Watch out family, I know where I'm buying your Christmas presents!!!

USPS You Are NOT My Friend

Late Friday afternoon I got an email from a lady in NYC wanting some Halloween cookies for her child's party at school this Friday.  This was going to mean a quick turn around time, but didn't want to turn down the money so I told her I could do them.

I worked on them most of the day Saturday and a better part of Sunday afternoon.  Carefully packaged them so that they would not shift and break in the container I put them in.  I put them in a larger box than necessary so that I could put lots of packing materials around them.  Nothing was moving inside the box when I took it to the post office.

Before I package them...this is what they looked like:

This is not the actual picture of the cookies I baked this weekend - its from my Etsy site, but you get the idea.

THIS is how they arrived to the lady on Wednesday:

Thankfully I purchased insurance, but not only do I now have to refund her money (which means a waste of my weekend) BUT I didn't charge her enough for shipping and if she doesn't want to go to the hassle of filing the claim herself, I told her I would refund her the shipping costs to send them back to me, so instead of making some extra money, I LOST money on the deal.

USPS might be cheaper, but I've kind of lost faith in them.

Ouch!

Ever question the choices you make? “What made me decide THAT was the best way to solve my problem?” Sometime we don’t have time to think and just react.

Saturday, I was bringing laundry downstairs. I’ve often said that I’ll probably die from a fall down my stairs. I live alone and if it weren’t for work, could go days before anyone would notice I haven’t been heard from. (You’re getting worried now, aren’t you?)

Okay back to the stairs. As I reach the 3rd or 4th step from the bottom, I trip. Not sure on what. Maybe my own feet. None the less, I trip. At that split second, I thought “that is going to HURT if I fall” and without out even realizing what I’m about to do, I jump. Bare footed. A couple of feet down. Onto a tile floor. It HURT, but I don’t think I broke anything…but I am quite certain it sealed the deal on my need for knee replacement surgery some day.

Aggravating

I know that I have readers that are big coupon people and some that hate them.  I for one don't mind them as long as the person using them has them ready before they check out so as to not hold up the line.  I actually do use them when I have one for something I am going to need, but I don't spend a lot of time searching for them like some do (though realize the benefits if I would take the time).

All of that said, Saturday I went to do some grocery shopping and had a few coupons for some stuff I needed or would need soon and was purchasing before the coupon expired.  There weren't a lot.  Five total.  Had them all together so all the cashier would have to do is ring them up at the end of my transaction so speed up the process for all everyone's sake.  Well, I was busy putting sacks in my cart while the cashier was scanning the coupons, so I didn't watch to see if she scanned them all, but when I saw my total there was a thought in my mind "the total should have been a little less than that" because I saw the total before she scanned them.  But I was in a hurry and figured I just miscalculated.

Well, yesterday it was still bugging me a little (I live on a VERY tight budget so I pay attention to these things) so I pulled out the receipt.  Would you know that she only rang up two of the five coupons.  And though it wouldn't have been a huge savings...it would have been about $5.  Of course by yesterday there was nothing I could do about it and really just need to let it go.  But it was aggravating, especially since two of those items I wouldn't have purchased this pay check if it wasn't for the fact the coupons were about to expire and they were for something I would need soon.

Must Put It In Writing

Otherwise I won't do it. ;o)

This weekend I WILL clean my house (b/c I'm hosting my Bible study group).  I WILL fill in the gap where the wasps made their home (teach them to invade my house).  I WILL actually go out and do something (I spend too much time alone on the weekends).  I WILL get back into my workout schedule (fall allergies messed me up).  And I WILL finish my laundry.

There!  That's a perfectly accomplishable list.


UPDATE: Okay so I didn't accomplish EVERYTHING because I had an unexpected weekend.  BUT all that is left is to fold the towels and fill the wasp hole and I plan to do that this evening so I almost did it all.  That counts, right?

For The Record

When someone tells me "when you have a second" I WILL interpret that to mean that it is NOT urgent and WILL get to a stopping point on what I am currently working on before I help them.

Wasp Saga Continues

So I found another wasp in the kitchen when I got home Friday. Since it was becoming obvious that this was one of those things that was not just going to go away, I decided to finally go outside and investigate again. They thought they were being sneaky about their hiding place, but they should have been looking over their shoulder before entering their secret hiding place (though obviously they aren’t too smart or they would have figured out by now that whoever enters my kitchen does not come out alive). While scoping the situation out, I noticed a wasp enter a knot hole in the wood on the side of my house near the window. Then I saw two wasps come out. I have no idea how large their lair is behind the wood, but I found the entrance and that battle began.

I went into the garage and got a can of wasp spray and aimed it at the hole (which was a challenge because my spray is getting old and didn’t spray so well…but was sufficient for the moment.) As soon as the spray hit the hole, wasps started slowly emerging. Wanting to confirm that the spray was working, I stood back and watched…and then it happened. A wasp landed on my shoulder. I couldn’t see him or feel him, but I could hear him. So what did I do? I threw the lid to the wasp spray and ran along the side the house screaming and trying to knock it off. Thankfully I was successful before I was stung, but I lost one of my favorite earrings in the process. So sad.

Deciding that was enough adrenaline for one evening I went into the house…praying that they learned their lesson and hoping that I would not wake up the next morning finding that they had moved inside. They didn’t. And upon inspection the next morning, it seems the spray worked because there were dead wasps on the ground.
I have since found two more wasps in the house (though they were sickly so I put them out of their misery). I’ve caulked every possible crack in or around my windows that I can find and plan to fill the knot hole with expanding insulation this weekend. Still too soon to claim victory, but I think the war may be close to over and I have been victorious. Now if only I could have the same luck with the squirrels and raccoons.

OC Cookies

So this was my latest cookie order. I was a little nervous about how well I would be able to recreate the logo with decorating bottles, but I was pleased with attempt considering I was working on blind faith and hoping I hadn't overestimated myself. Of course as it is with everything else I do, it was not without some moments of panic.

Moment #1 – Grey icing looked purple when I was mixing it. I didn’t want purple icing. Turns out that the blue walls in my kitchen were making the icing look blue. It looked grey in the dining room. Lesson learned…don’t try to match colors in the kitchen.

Moment #2 – the bags I bought were narrower at the opening than they were at the bottom so the cookies wouldn’t fit into the bag. Made a run to Wal-Mart at 10 p.m. Say what you will about Wal-Mart, but their 24 hour stores have saved my life on more than one occasion.

Moment #3 – Though I had let the cookies set for 4 hours before trying to put them in the sacks AND to the touch they seemed like they had set up enough…in reality they had not. But I didn’t discover this until they were all in sacks and the leftovers were stack on a plate. This sadly flattened out and distorted the writing on some of the cookies. I was so aggravated because this should not have happened. Thankfully they didn’t all look THIS bad, but I was still disappointed to say the least. Not sure what the lesson is here since I don’t know why it happened.

Forgot to take a picture of the semi-decent ones.  This is one of the seriously messed up ones.

What!?!

You mean to tell me not everyone carries a pretty little sack full of nose sprays in their purse?!?  That's just crazy!

Welcome to MY world!

September in a Nutshell

So I've become bad about updating.  Sorry, but my life is sooo not exciting these days.  It seems like a waste of time to write "this weekend I did laundry" or "last night I cleaned the bathroom".  You could care less.  And what has been eventful this last month has not been eventful enough, but here it is in a nutshell:

• Been sick ALL month...literally.  Hate allergies
• Went on a float trip with people from class to the Illinois River.  Despite being sick, had fun.  There was barely anyone on the river so it was nice and relaxing.  I do now feel the need to watch Deliverance, but too afraid to watch it alone since I've never seen it.
• Cleaned my shower.  What makes this eventfully is that I really CLEANED it.  Lime scale and all.  Shower door has been my nemesis since I moved in.  It took me 3 hours.
• Helped friend with a garage sale and got a TV that looks like it belongs in my entertainment center because my friend's husband is a "technology snob" and didn't think anyone would pay more than $20 for it.  I jokingly offered him $10 and he gave it to me for free.  I now owe them some free babysitting.
• Someone appears to have a crush on me.  Granted he's only 2 1/2, but he's thrilled to see me and talks to me on his play phone when I'm not there.  Most attention I've gotten in a loooong time.  LOVE IT!!!
• Finally battled the bathroom door downstairs.  It has progressively gotten harder to close since I moved in so I sanded it down so it will not close.  Now I just need to finish painting it.
• Had another raccoon in the attic a few weeks ago.  Haven't heard it since, but not getting my hopes up that its gone for good.  Probably just staking his claim before winter.
• Kitchen has been infested with crickets (first centipedes, then wasps, now crickets.  Hate to think what is next).  And spiders seem to be multiplying.  I could probably learn to live with spiders (as long as they leave me alone) if it wasn't for those stupid cobwebs.  They're everywhere!

 Yeah, I think that about covers it.

Oh Happy Day!

After YEARS of writing and petitioning my bank, they are FINALLY building one in my area of town.  (And like the people in the Windows 7 commercials, I am fully taking credit for this!)  This particular banking establishment has banks on almost every corner it seems, but the closest one to me takes me 20 minutes to get there.  When I first started banking with them, they were right around the corner from where I lived.  But I have since moved (twice) and banking with them was no longer convenient...but I liked them as a bank.  So today when I drove by and saw the sign that said "Coming Soon _ Bank!" I was ecstatic!!!  May not be having much luck on the dating and job search front, but before too much longer, I will no longer have to spend my entire lunch hour when I have to go to the bank!  Woo Whoo!!!

Another Infestation

I’ve been invaded…again. But this time its not squirrels or raccoons (though fall is coming and it’s just a matter of time). This time it is wasps. Big red and black ones. And they keep showing up in my HOUSE. They seem to be attracted to the kitchen window. Problem is I have no idea where they’re coming from. Usually it’s just one at a time. A few weeks ago it was two. Some meet their demise quickly. Others hear the words “die sucker!” before its all over.


There are no cracks near the kitchen window, so they’re not getting in there. Maybe squeezing their way through the frame of the patio door (another reason why I need new windows). At first I thought maybe it was the fireplace, but I think I would be seeing more if they had a nest in there. Regardless of where they are getting in, it’s annoying. Though granted, they are easier to dispose of than the stuff in the attic. I’m not scared of my kitchen. Attic is a whole other story.

I Know It's Wrong

And it does not portray a Christian-like attitude, and some of you are judging me right now, BUT…

I LOVE THIS SONG! It makes me laugh. So sue me!  (And for the record, I have no one in mind that this goes out to...just think its funny.)

I Pray for You
Jaron and the Long Road To Love

I haven’t been to church since I don’t remember when
Things were going great til they fell apart again
So I listened to the preacher as he told me what to do
He said you can’t go hatin’ others who have done wrong to you
Sometimes we get angry but we must not condemn
Let the good Lord do his job, you just pray for them

I pray your brakes go out runnin’ down a hill
I pray a flower pot falls from a window sill
And knocks you in the head like I’d like to
I pray your birthday comes and nobody calls
I pray you’re flyin’ high when your engine stalls
I pray all your dreams never come true
Just know wherever you are, honey, I pray for you

I’m really glad I found my way to church
Cause I’m already feelin’ better and I thank God for the words
Yeah, I’m gonna take the high road and do what the preacher told me to do
You keep messin’ up, and I’ll keep prayin’ for you
I pray your tire goes out at 110
I pray you pass out drunk with your best friend
And wake up with his and her tattoos…

I pray your brakes go out runnin’ down a hill
I pray a flower pot falls from a window sill
And knocks you in the head like I’d like to
I pray your birthday comes and nobody calls
I pray you’re flyin’ high when your engine stalls
I pray all your dreams never come true
Just know wherever you are, near or far
In your house or in your car
Wherever you are, honey, I pray for you
I pray for you

Just When I Think It Can't Get More Disturbing

I've mentioned before how the Old Navy Supermodelquins really creep me out (along with the Burger King and the Quaker Oats commercial guy), but they've reached an all time low in my book.  Have you seen this commercial?

I don't even know where to begin its just so wrong!!!!!

Videos

Been super busy and no time to post (not much too post worthy has taken place anyway). But for sake of updating, I'm sharing my two favorite videos from our Brazil trip.

Dia's Video of the Toilet Flushing

Water swirls in the opposite direction south of the equator, so Dia filmed it. Maybe you had to be there, but WE found it HILARIOUS!

Jason's Video of Our Ride Down From the Christ Statue

If you listen close, you can hear some commentary in the background. The laughter was more nervous than anything...trying not to think about the fact that our lives could come to an end around any bend. Brazilian Driver + Winding Mountain Road = Recipe for Disaster!

An THIS Is Why I Will ALWAYS Be Single...

This picture was taken on Sugar Loaf Mountain by two cute guys from New Jersey who were also traveling in Rio. Sarah titled this picture "Worst Flirters Ever" and pointed out that at least she SPOKE to them (though I did have to point out I spoke...I told the guy he didn't have to take a picture with my camera, I would just get a copy of Sarah's. Pathetic, I know). They were nice. The one who took the picture tried to chat with us (his friend was a male me...he didn't speak either). They even seemed to follow us around a little...but eventually gave up.

I wanted to talk to them, but part of me was self-conscious because Terry (our trip sponsor) was close by. But really, when it comes down to it, it's just the way I am. Generally it takes me FOREVER to warm up to people. It's not that I don't want to talk to people...I'm just overly guarded around people I don't know. It's so rare for me to be chatty with someone right off the bat. I have no idea why I'm that way and I really wish I wasn't. I try not to be, but I'm rarely successful at overcoming it.

So people...this picture is all that came from our encounter with the cute guys in Brazil. But look at how BIG my smile was. Ha! Yep, I will be single forever.

It’s Not “OK” in Brazil

So, its been a while since I posted (over a month it appears). I’ve been a little busy with Relay For Life (June 11 with hurricane force winds…it was lovely) and my mission trip to Brazil (just got home this past Monday). I will try to include some pictures of my trip on here at a later date…but for now I have a little story to share.

Picture this…it was our last night in Campinas, Brazil before we flew out to Niteroi, Brazil. We had gone to a local mall for dinner and were doing a little shopping before the mall closed. The “must have” item on our trip was Havaianas (really comfortable flip flops). Brazilians are not tall people and don’t have big feet, so for a team with quite a few women who are above average height and have above average shoe sizes, finding our size was a challenge.

So it’s around 9:45 p.m. We’re supposed to meet our group at the entrance at 10:00. Some were still shopping in one store, but I needed to go back to a previous store and look to see if I can find a particular pair of Havaianas. Robin (she and her husband are the missionaries there) goes with me because I don’t speak the language. A sales girl asks Robin if she can help us and Robin tells her what size I’m looking for, but the girl is trying to sell me on styles I’m not interested in.

Because it’s the World Cup, they had lots of Havaianas for different countries. Robin asks the girl if they have USA ones…they didn’t. The sales girl tells Robin they have ones for France. Now, Robin is very much the extrovert and very silly and has lots of energy. She’s being her silly self and tells the sales girl she doesn’t like France…so the sales girl turns the shoes around backwards and puts them back on the sales rack. Robin thinks this is funny and proceeds to tell me what just took place.

Now, I was really focused on trying to get my shopping done before we had to meet the group. So when Robin tells me what just took place, she asks me if that is okay with me. Not even thinking, I look at Robin (who is standing next to the sales girls) and make “OK” signs with both of my hands.

If you’ve ever been to Brazil…you know where this is going. In Brazil, giving someone the “OK” sign is like flipping them off…I’m told even worse. I knew this before I even went to Brazil, but at the moment it just didn’t occur to me. As soon as I did it, I realized what I had done. I put my hands over my mouth and then start apologizing profusely. Robin’s jaw is on the floor and then immediately turns to the sales girl trying to explain to her that the “OK” sign means something different in my country. That I didn’t mean to offend her, and that I’m a good Christian girl who would NEVER do something like that on purpose.

Yes, I went to Brazil and almost caused an international incident. The sales girls seemed to accept the apology…but didn’t find the humor in it. My group on the other hand found it very funny and would ask me if things were “OK” just to see if they could get me to do it again. Lovely.

So the moral of this story is…its NEVER “OK” in Brazil!!!