Granny

Granny (my mom) came to visit via train for 10 days. D was excited to have her here. He kept asking questions about where she was going to sleep, was she staying all night, and how was she getting here? She got here on Friday and it was the weekend I didn't have D, which was fine b/c I got to have some time with my mom. We did some shopping, saw a movie and just had fun. D loved being with his Granny while she was here. They played games - she even taught him a new card game. We all went to the Hazel Dell Parade of Bands and went to see Mt. St. Helens.

Hazel Dell Parade

Luckily, Granny came during the lull in the weather. Hardly any rain and mild temps. PHEW!

Ghosts, tarot cards and traffic jams.

This has been sitting in the Edit area of my blog for a while!! WHOOOPS, forgot to post!!

The last weekend of April was C's birthday, so it was time to go ghost hunting. We went to the Bizarre Portland tour and it was so much fun! We met the tour guide at a well known haunted popular restaurant downtown Portland. We were taken down into the basement where we were given the story about the haunting that has been recorded. Nina, (pronounced NINE-a) was a local prostitute working in the saloon. She "fell" down the elevator shaft (C, if this isn't right, please help with the story) and her body moved to the middle of the basement and left to die. Apparently Nina still roams the basement. We each were given EMF detectors (electro magnetic meter) and told to walk through the basement to see if we get a reading. Yes, many of us did w/out reason - meaning there weren't any electric currents running through the area (plugs, wires, outlets). Did we conclusively find Nina? No. But that was fun.

We then went across town to an old hotel (still working hotel) that is apparently known for hauntings as well, but this wasn't as fun. I think b/c we were in a dark dirt floor basement and now we were in a well lit hotel above a loud bar. Not really a "mood" for ghost hunting. No one really found anything at this place.

While waiting for the MAX train on our way back to our original destination, our tour guide asked if anyone would like their Tarot cards read. I've never had mine done, so I volunteered. INTERESTING, I can't remember the exact "people" I had, but I do know that C also had her's read and we both drew the same future card. VERY INTERESTING!! Neither one of us knows what it means, but we're quite curious.

The next weekend, we decided to head into Portland and go to Saturday market and Nobb Hill shops. Fun day on a warm sunny day. It was the trip home which was harrowing!! We jumped on the I5 and hit a wall of traffic, so we decided to head over to 205 and take that home, but WHAMMO traffic!! By this time, I had to pee, so we stopped at a gas station on Sandy Blvd. During that time, traffic didn't move so much, so we decided to head down to Airport Way and see if that may be faster. 2.5 hours later, we made it back onto WA soil. We were tired, hungry and both had to pee now!! Here are photo's....

Prior to traffic jam.

About 1.5 hours sitting in traffic - it's made us crazy!

O

M
G!!!

Nuff said...

Are you a mechanic?

After running a few errands yesterday morning, I went to C's house cuz we were going to Saturday Market in Portland. It was sunny and warm, we were dressed in capri's, flip flops and t-shirts; a beautiful day! I parked at C's house and went in to get her her, and when we got out to my car and tried to start it **Click click click** it wouldn't start. CRAP! Just Friday we had to jump C's car cuz it also croaked. We get the car jumped and started and off we went, but first LUNCH. We drove up to Hazel Dell for some taco's and drove a pretty good ways to let my battery charge. After lunch, **Click click click** DOUBLE CRAP!!

A car had just pulled up next to us, so I asked if he'd help us jump the car. Luckily we were smart enough to put the jumper cables in the trunk before we left. The man was clearly annoyed that we were asking him to help us. THANKS DUDE!! 5 min later the car was started and it was decided that perhaps I should just suck it up and get a new battery. WalMart was next door, but the Auto area had a line, so we decided to head down the road.

The only thing open was The Brake Specialists (their sign says they do all auto repair). FANTASTIC! Plus, they weren't busy at all. I pulled up and asked if they could replace a battery. YES, please pull up and we'll to a diagnostic on the car to see what's happening. I pull only 1/2 into the bay (that's where he stopped me) and he (mechanic 1)goes off to find the dx machine. Meanwhile the other mechanic (mechanic 2) in the place was looking for and complaining about these blocks of wood that he couldn't find. He went on and on and on about these wood pieces. We could only raise an eyebrow at each other and continue to wait for M1 to return. He finally came back with the machine and hooked it up to my battery and futzed around for a while. "I can't get a reading". OK, we'll you're the expert dude. So he tells me to turn off the car. I ask if he has a way to jump my car.

"Dude, do we have a jumper in case her car doesn't start?" M1asks the other M2.
"uh, I think we do" says M2
Off they went to locate the jumper. They return with it and I turn off the car. CLICK CLICK CLICK. They jump my car and the dx begins. Rev my engine, idol, rev again. Well, it's not my alternator. TERRIFIC!! Cuz I know all about alternator problems - UGH! But the dx machine doesn't see a problem with my battery either. So I ask "could it be the corrosion on the terminals?" M2 replies "yep, could be".

REALLY???!!!?? The M1 had left to look for something and returns and calls M2 to help him find the "book". M1 returns about 5 min later and explains that he can't locate the book which has the pricing for the batteries, so he doesn't know how much to charge me. AND the said book also includes the size battery needed for my car.

"I'll need you to walk next door to Shucks Auto supply and buy a battery and I'll put it in for you" says M1

With this C looks at me and says quietly, "if we weren't local, I swear we'd be drug out to the woods and killed" Cuz I could clearly hear the dueling banjo's in the background. We chose the one place with mechanics who are definitely NOT the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree. Plus, M1 had a definite Canadian accent, which didn't help his cause. Off we walked across the parking lot to buy a battery. About 1/2 way back M1 gets off his ass and realizes that perhaps he should walk (no saunter) over and actually carry the ubber heavy battery.

He connects the new battery and asks me to start the car. Not even a click click click. Grrrrr!! He unconnects and reconnects the battery - using the back of the wrench to pound the connections onto the battery. The car starts and he puts the brace on the battery. I ask him how much to pay him and he waves me off. THANK GOODNESS! I thought of handing him some cash, but then I thought HEY, we had to schlep across the parking lot to buy a new battery and C carried it back cuz you couldn't find a book.

Needless to say, we didn't make it to Portland. C is leaving for a business trip today and it was late in the afternoon and she needed to get some things completed at home. I have a new battery in my car and have realized that I only hear the dueling banjo's around the time of C's Birthday - which is next weekend. Last year, we had a WILD adventure returning from Seattle where we also heard those banjo's playing.

At home job

I'm not going to take the job. It was sort of selling healthy products - cleaners, suppliments and organic products. It was for the company Melaleuca, nothing that I had heard about in the past, but reviews online regarding the company were not favorable. Their products got good reviews, it's the pyramid selling program that got terrible reviews. I don't blame them.

They expect their "reps" to purchase at least $20 of products per month. YIKES! They believe that you must use their products in order to sell them. Ummmm, yea, I don't need to use a foley catheter for me to sell it to a hospital or doctor, but I bet I could sell it!! Yes, while I do agree that you sell better when you've actually used the product, but really? NOT!! Plus their started package was $199. If I had $199 to spend on house cleansers, I wouldn't be needing to work for the company!!.

I'll be going for more of a traditional job search and a more traditional job.

Webcast - unsure

So I have been looking at some work at home opportunities and currently waiting for a webcast to begin. I'm not so sure about this company cuz of things that I've read online. I'll just have to wait and see. I'm bored already.

5yo Birthday Boy!!!

I was worried about cramming a bunch of kids and adults into my small apartment for a birthday party, but it all worked out just fine!! We sent the kids into D's room to play while the adults chatted. D is in Bakugon HEAVEN right now.

Yep, another T-Rex cake. I kept asking D what he wanted for his birthday and I only got T-Rex as an answer, so there is the T-Rex cake - with one modification to his request. D wanted the dino to be purple....hmmmmm, yea, not happening. The only purple dino that I know of is VERY annoying and goes by the name Barney. D has never even liked Barney, but he wanted purple. Sorry, D, mommy made an executive decision and your dino was orange/brown combo. And, yes, I did stick the candles in the dino eyes. Had Oreo not eaten the Necco wafers I purchased, the dino would've been holding a school bus with kids screaming for their lives!! heeheeehehe.

Yea, you think that he's just a little tired?

After the party concluded, I asked D where he'd like to go for Birthday dinner and he chose McDonalds. So C3, D and I headed out to McD's. THAT really tired out the birthday boy, but not enough to go to sleep until almost 9pm!! grrrr. All well, it's a birthday....

Happy Birthday my big boy!

Zoo trip

Just a couple weeks ago, it was GORGEOUS outside, so D and I headed to the zoo. Here are some photos from our trip. Finally some great pics of our new Lion exhibit!!