Touching Base

New Bedroom set is in and loving it- a matching bedroom set has been due for along time.

My SVT Catheter Ablation surgery on my heart on Thurs Nov 18th was a successful.  I haven’t had any episodes since then and I can’t wait to lead an active lifestyle again.  My follow up visit indicated that the SVT is gone and it’s safe to try for children now- woo hoo!

Home Remodel is completed except for a few finishing touches such as crown molding and curtains.  The new space is beautiful and it feels like we’ve had that space the whole time since being married.  It feels like it’s always been part of the house.  

Thanksgiving was a huge hit with the family.  Lots of people, lots of food was brought, lots of love was shared.  I really loved opening my home (finished or not) to my family.  My Mom’s parents really instilled the power of family get togethers and I love that my husband and I like to entertain to family and friends.  Our home is also more accommodating for larger parties  That was the whole intention.  Plus, there is an extra bedroom and bathroom which is away from the rest of the home.  A private little casita set aside from the family room.  

Work has slowed down which brings more opportunity to update databases that are long over due.  More opportunity to do reports that will help my job be easier come the New Year.

My company sent a co-worker and I to an event in Los Angeles.  We were in the gifting suite area for the celebrities passing out our product (as gifts) and meeting celebrities.  It was a blast.  It was a once in a lifetime opportunity and I felt so lucky that I could go and represent my company.  The topic was hush hush for a while to prevent animosity.  There were jealous ones but what can you do???

This Friday, I am flying to Vegas to spend a quick weekend with my Mom.  I hope to see my friend Jennifer while I go to Vegas.  We are suppose to have lunch on Saturday somewhere, it will be a good chance to catch up since I haven’t seen her in a while.  Then my Mom and I leave bright and early on Sunday Dec 20th and drive back to my house.  My Mom will be spending her Christmas week with us.  Lots going on this next week and I have a lot of wrapping left to do. YIKES!

I still have to decorate the tree and we got our tree on Saturday.  I’m a bit of a procrastinator right now.  The tree is huge and our 3 strands of white lights just barely made it around.  Hopefully I will get motivated after I post this blog.

New Year’s news forthcoming- really exciting and will write next time so I can update all the stories.  I’m sure there will be stories.

our new bedroom set arrives this Saturday the 24th of November 2009 and I can’t wait. We have had our new bed since February and the foam box spring is still wrapped in plastic and sits on the floor while the foam mattress sits on top. The bed sits low and we are anxious to have a nice matching bedrooms set to help finish off the beautiful hardwood floors that were installed in late May of the this year. Hopefully this link works but our bedrooms set was purchased from the JCPENNY Home store in Pleasanton, CA and we got a superb deal. It’s called Hampton by Studio, I love the expresso finish and I love the details- brushed look (not distressed), the brushed nickel knobs and pulls, the architecture of the furniture. Here is the link:

http://www5.jcpenney.com/jcp/X6E.aspx?DeptID=57087&CatID=58617&GrpTyp=ENS&ItemID=144b988&attrtype=&attrvalue=&CMID=70024%7c70666%7c58207%7c58396%7c58617&Fltr=&Srt=&QL=F&IND=3&cmVirtualCat=&CmCatId=70024|70666|58207|58396|58617

I swear even though I haven’t read the morning news, I did however feel a little tremor last night around close to 9 pm. The slightest little earthquake rattles me and sends me nerves crazy to where I shake a bit like I have low blood sugar. I hate that feeling. It intensified the little bit of alcohol that I drank too.
Can’t believe 20 years ago was the Loma Prieta Earthquake. I guess Mother Nature had to give us a little reminder last night of what could happen.

freaky!!!!!

I can’t stand all the dust that this home addition is creating. My husband and I have come to terms that we will hire a cleaning service to clean our house top to bottom once all this remodeling is done. I completely forgot all the dirt that is entailed with re-doing the pipes under the house. The constant tromping underneath the house by 3-5 guys and even though there is painters plastic taped and laid upon the floor, the dust and dirt still gets everywhere. You can’t vacuum enough, you can’t swiffer enough and you can’t clean enough to be satisfied. Our poor white socks turn tan to a light brown even after walking around after what we thought was a clean floor. Ugh! I can’t complain and vent enough about all the dust. I am going mad. To top it off, there are dirty hand prints, dirt marks from accidental rub ins with walls, door knobs, markings on my clothes. The whole countertop is dirty, it literally feels like walking on the beach on the floors in our house before and after a good sweep or vacuum. It’s actually disgusting me more as the days roll on. I just wish they would be done with the pipes under the house this week so we can move on and clean the grime that has accumulated in the beautiful tile floor that my husband laid and the beautiful wood floors. Hopefully not too many tiny dirt particles are clinging to the tiny tiny crevices in between our nice Bamboo 3/4 inch solid wood floors. I scour when I come home to a dirty house and people still under the house stirring up dirt.
I have to keep positive knowing that our galvanized steel pipes will all be copper and the water will get hot faster and the water pressure will be more. No more thumping of the toilet in the hall bathroom. No more filling a 5 gallon bucket of water waiting for it to get hot prior to taking my morning shower. No more filling 3-4 pitchers of cold water in the kitchen sink just to get warm water to wash the dishes. As many of are reading this, you are realizing that you don’t have it this bad and that you are living in a home/apartment that wasn’t built back in 1962 where the plumbing is poor and getting hot water from any faucet in your home in less than 10 seconds is amazing!

Our home addition project is in full swing. Our GC got our permits in an amazing records time (less than 2 weeks). Then the work started and he has a crew between 5-10 guys. 3 of them speak English and it brings the job site to a higher quality level especially since there isn’t a language barrier. Whew!
Once the demo was done of the old patio and the concrete was removed, 2 more feet of dirt was removed to allow sufficient sewage and water flow for the bathroom plumbing. The foundation was poured and quickly the sub-floor and the framing went up in less than 5 days. The plumber went under the house had to inspect and change out all the galvanized steel piping to copper. This will allow water to enter the pipes faster to allow a faster heat up to the bathrooms/snks in the far end of the house. (Yippee). A crew of 3 guys plus the GC went under the house for over an hour to secure the new sewage/water pipes to the existing line. Lots of noise and I don’t even know which tools were being used besides drills. Yesterday we finalized the french door schedule, Tuesday I discuss with the GC- electrical- outlets, switches, exterior lights, interior ceiling fan/light. Yesterday we also finalized solar tubes and a sky light. It’s really exciting, especially to see the framing go up and really realize that our visualization is becoming a reality. Best part, our GC stated that it should all be done in 3 weeks. That is insane but we are pleased that we will have a close to finished product (except for our finishing work) around Thanksgiving. But he has a crew willing to work, even weekends and sometimes Sundays- they were here yesterday between 8 am - 4 pm and it was a scorcher outside (over 100 degrees).
I need to go, I was suppose to see my Dad today but I am a chicken when it comes to weird windy hot conditions where he’s situated. Today is suppose to be really hot in Gustine and windy and I hate driving on Highway 5 where the wind will easily knock my little Saturn off the road.

So, I was watching Giada De Laurentis on her show called Everyday Italian earlier this week and she was making this dish called Gnudi- basically it’s the insides of the ravioli without the pasta exterior. On her show she made it just by itself with a simple marinara sauce but I made mine with some angel hair pasta. It was simple dish that took barely any time. Main ingredients- ricotta cheese, Frozen, thawed Spinach and Parmesan cheese- it doesn’t get any better than that. I love cooking at home.
Yea, I thought it was odd too, You’re probably wondering how did I cook it the Gnudi? Well, surprisingly they are boiled. When they float to the top within 3-4 minutes, they are done.

I wasn’t shocked that it wouldn’t be good but I was shocked on how filling they were. I made 8 patties, 2 for my lunch tomorrow and 3 each with dinner for my husband and I. I could only get through 1 patty plus the cup of pasta noodles. So, now my husband gets leftovers tomorrow for my lunch and so do I.

Giada’s cooking looks so good. She makes it look so easy. Plus, she makes food look good even healthy food. Her Healthy Snacks episode makes me want to eat all the goodies she made too. Thank goodness I get off work around 4 pm. Then I can watch her show when I get home around 4:30 pm PST.
NO I DON’T HAVE TIVO AND I LET THE TV CONTROL WHEN I WATCH IT.

Stayed close to home this year.

Hung out at our friends house for most of the afternoon before heading back home. Brought the dog inside with the TV on so she’ won’t freak out too much. My husband found a nice grassy knoll at the top of the hill in a very ritzy part of Livermore. The fireworks started and the local radio station was KKIQ 101.7 and we soon realized off in the distance was San Ramon and their fireworks were the same as our fireworks show (must be the same company). It was a trip to watch. From the corner of our eyes we could see our fireworks and then look off in the distance and see the San Ramon fireworks off in the distance.
It was definitely something new to try and I’m glad my husband found this grassy knoll so we could enjoy ourselves with the rest of the 100 people that also found this grassy knoll.

March-
My husband finished laying the tile in the hallway and the finishing touches. Looks professionally done right down to the crown molding, new textured and painted walls, base boards etc.

My Mom came to town for 2 weeks for a family wedding and to hang out with me. It was a good visit.

April-
I flew to Vegas on the 9th. Hung out with my Mom in a luxurious hotel & Spa called the M Resort. So lush and so relaxing. Won $425 playing penny machines, drove home on Saturday May 11th and checked her into a hotel (since her floors were being done and the company was paying her lodging and food per diem). She couldn’t stay at my house- messy to do remodel.

Had b-day dinner with my family and my husband’s family since my father in law and I share the same b-day. Local eatery, pizza, family oriented, lots of good eats- Gay 90’s Pizza in Pleasanton, CA.
My Mom was in town for 16 days, had a great visit with her since her hotel stay was in Livermore. Saw her lots but wished I could have seen her more considering her sister was ill and stayed at the Hotel with my Mom which eliminated lots of time I wanted to stay at the hotel with her.

May-
May 1st, celebrated my 5 year Wedding Anniversary- Wow, time flies! Went to dinner at Wente Vineyards Restaurant in Livermore, CA (our backyard- literally a 10 minute drive). My dinner was soooo good. The best Filet Mignon ever, so tender, so succulent. Our dessert even had Happy Anniversary written in chocolate all over the plate. The chocolate was sooo good, I had to mess up the writing and eat it all up
Sunday May 3rd it was raining but that didn’t keep my husband and I from going downtown to enjoy the Livermore Art & Wine Festival. We each rec’d a commemorative glass which we can use at Thirsty Thursdays (every 3rd Thursday at the Farmer’s Market that starts this Thursday) if we bring our glass, we can sample wine for free while others pay $5 each 3rd Thursday, we get each 3rd Thursday Free. It’s a heck of a deal.
Saturday May 10th- KFOG Concert in San Francisco, as always, tons of fun. It was Juli, my husband, my friend Jason, and my husband’s friends from San Jose- a smaller group this year but still fun to sit around, listen to bands, enjoy the sun (while it lasts), enjoy vendors with food and drink, watch the cold weather roll in, watch the day go from light to dark, watch the fireworks. Very Festive and basically welcomes Summer for me
Sunday May 11th- a double day of Mother’s Day. From one house to another. All family, good food, good gatherings, and a treat to see everyone all in one day. I missed my Mom. She is back in Henderson. She was unable to turn around and come back, she had to put her house back together after she returned, she loves her new floors.
I arranged for some flowers to arrive at her house last week on Thursday May 7th for Mother’s Day. I would have loved to see her face as those flowers arrived. It something I enjoy doing now that my Dad can’t give her flowers anymore
Last weekend May 14th- May 18th- was in Vegas just for the hell of it. Wanted to visit my Mom and possibly find a way to get into the No Doubt concert at Mandalay Bay or the Staind concert at Sunset Station. I will write another email with the update from last weekend. Lots to say…….

a much needed recap for February.
February was a very hard month. Lots happened a year ago. Lots to remember and look back on but mostly I am amazed that life still goes on no matter how much is lost.

Feb 1st- 1st Treat Yogurt opened in Livermore, Ca- I am a dedicated fan of this place showing up at least once a week.
February 7th- In Henderson…. it rained so we couldn’t raise the flag on my Dad’s 1 year Memorial Service (Celebration for the End of Mourning). The church service was good and the Dinner was relaxing and my Mom put together a great gathering.
Feb 14th- It’s Valentine’s Day and my husband promised me that we would go out to Sushi to celebrate his new job. So, we splurged on dinner, celebrated his new job and each other (tee hee).
February 21st- Mah Jongg game at David’s house in Danville. New people, new strategies, lots of fun.
Feb 24th- 1st Meetup (www.meetup.com) for East Bay Boardgamers in Dublin. Lots of fun, new faces, I love being social and playing board games. Stacey’s at Waterford has a grand way to get people together. They advertise on Craigslist to see if anyone wants to host a Meetup. They have a banquet room set up mid-week to accommodate 65 people. Stacey’s already has an infocus machine, a huge projection screen, 2 huge Bose’ speakers and a Wii system with 2 controllers ready to go. People arrive and find -2 brand new board games set up on tables with cotton table clothes, silverware and the whole 9 yards on the table ready to go. A special sampler menu has been arranged for that nights meeting. I am looking forward to more East Bay Board Gamers meetups every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of every month. This beats trying to form a Pub Quiz in Livermore. This way someone else and a restaurant are the host. I just show up.
Feb 28th- Mah Jongg- another group called the Bay Area Mah Jongg Dojo- we played for 5.5 hours last night in Vallejo. It was a treat. When one place kicked us out after 3 hours, we chose to go to Round Table, get dinner and play for 2 more hours. I had so much fun.

Now it’s time for bed.

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