Touching Base

I love baby kitties…..

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Interesting Read……

http://finance.yahoo.com/family-home/article/106466/Where-You-Won’t-Shop-in-2009

Inarguable Party

My husband and I attended an Inarguable Party which had many of his old colleagues and bosses from Mervyn’s.  We went to see his old co-workers and to network for future job opportunities.  The other people there were to support Obama and to help kick Bush out the White House.  Everyone there was a democrat except my husband and I.  Were we going to tell them that?  Of course not.  Were we going to share our beliefs and talk about politics- of course not.  I didn’t watch enough of McCain’s or Obama’s campaign to have a full on conversation with anyone.  So, I kept my mouth shut.  I did indulge in some wine, some tasty appetizers and sat in the background, while people raised their glasses as Obama was sworn in.  I’m entitled to roll my eyes and want to turn off the TV anytime Obama speaks, but the fact is- he’s our President now.  I have to live with it now.  Hopefully he will only be in office for 1 term.  I really want to see if he’s able to do all the “changes” that he promised.

Watched the Harlem Globetrotters

On Sunday, Jason Lehrbaum got my husband and I tickets to see the Harlem Globetrotters at the Oakland Colesium.  FREE TICKETS that is.  2 pm was the start and it was a great show.  So many interesting, difficult tricks.  I don’t like watching basket ball but I liked watching them.  Tricks are fun to watch, an actual game- not so much.  At least the quarters were not as long as a full game and there was a lot of interaction for the children to participate.  Lots of skits, laughing, joking with the audience.  Too bad the two extra tickets we had, had to go to waste.  We had invited friends that at least an older child that would enjoy but all 4 sets of Dad’s with Son’s and a father and a daughter could not use the extra two tickets.  Bummer for them !!

Lehrbaum works for Printroom.com so his clients are the Globetrotters.  He doesn’t need tickets since he’s got his own exclusive pass- he photographs them.  He was the head photographer for the San Jose and Oakland appearances.  He can attend any of their future appearances.  I am trying to obtain free tickets for my Mom and a friend for the Las Vegas appearance at The Orlean’s Arena on February 11th.  February will be a hard month for my family, especially my Mom and if I can help distract her for just for a little bit between the 7th and Valentines Day then I will.  

Thanks Lehrbaum.  www.printroom.com

Since 2009 to now….

During New Year’s Eve dinner which we ate relatively late, around 8 pm because we knew we were going to be staying up late.  We watched other countries- Australia, Korea, Singapore, Thailand, China, New Zealand- celebrate their New Year’s.  At 9 pm PST, we watch New York celebrate their New Year’s in Time Square.  It’s always fun to watch the actual time when the ball drops or other places celebrate the new year.  

11 pm we walked over to our new neighbors house that moved to the our neighborhood back in March/April.  They are the same age as us but they have a 2 year old and a baby on the way.  They had finger foods set up, lots of champagne, sparkling cider and beer.  I indulged in all.  She even made these really good cookies with M&M’s in them.  I haven’ had those in almost 10 years.  The last time I had those, my Mom made those for me in San Ramon where my folks used to live until they moved to Henderson, NV.

Champagne was poured, the hats were put on, the horns were in hand, my husband opened up a bag of poppers.  We watch the New York ball drop, we yelled out Happy NEw Year.  We gave hugs and kisses to those in the room.  I think this is the only time of year that we can get kissed and hugged by total strangers (not on the mouth- on the cheek).  It’s a very joyous time.  We got our gear, drank our champagne, put on our warm gear and headed outside to yell into the night, whistle, scream out loud, explode our poppers, watch the confetti flow to the ground.  With just 5 of us outside, it was fun.  I noticed that my husband brought two cigars.  One for our new neighbor (the husband of course) and one for him.  A very low key New Year’s but very relaxing and comfortable knowing we are drinking, having a good time and we don’t have to drive anywhere.

New Year’s Eve weekend, we gave our our two Queen Beds.  To make a long story short for many of you that I have already told.  We are re-doing our floors, getting a new bedroom set, a flat screen for the master bedroom, new tile floor extending from the kitchen into the hallway, a new flat screen for the family room, getting a KING bed with a Memory Foam Thera-pedic mattress, and cleaning up a bunch of stuff.  Yes, whenever we get rid of stuff, we always have a garage sale.  I can’t wait for the floors to be put in.  Buying the bedroom set in the next step.  Lots of changes but all for the better.  This is why we don’t buy lavish things or spend frivilously so we can afford things that we need and want.  Life is great when you can live this way.  I find this more pleasurable and enjoyable when you look at your  home and realize that all the hardwood has gone into it, has been done by yourself.  The home and all the contents will last longer because the realization of the amount of work put into it- it’s called Pride and it’s a great feeling.  My husband and I always do things on our own and when we can’t do it, we hire someone but that is very rare.

So my husband has been working diligently since the end of Dec.  Networking and keeping contacts with his old colleagues.  Something finally panned out.  He had an interview last week and now he was offered a job.  He starts in the next week or so.  We are very grateful that he was able to find a job in two weeks.  2009 is already looking really BRIGHT!

Recap from Thanksgiving until the end of 2008

Wow, lots to write about and catch up on….. so if you don’t mind go back to Thanksgiving, here goes….

 

My Mom came out for Thanksgiving, she drove with her sister and brother.  My Mom stayed with another one of her sisters and brother in law for the week she was here.  We visited and caught up on things, laughed and cried on how we both miss my Dad/her husband.  This has been a tough year for my family but with the bond of my immediate family, the communication and support from our extended family and friends- it’s all the people that make it manageable.  We thank everyone for being good listeners, good friends and overall “there” for us  Thanksgiving- giving Thanks.  I have a lot to be thankful for and I try to give thanks back to that mean the most to me- either in emails, text messages, calling them, saying I love you, etc.

Before Thanksgiving, all my christmas shopping was completed back in October.  So, after Thanksgiving up until a week before Christmas, all I did was wrap presents.

The unexpected was happening, my husband was going to lose his job at the end of December.  So, we decided to eliminate our annual Christmas party.  We were planning for the unexpected.  We started saving our pennies back in July because since July there was talk about Mervyn’s closing down and a ton of lay offs.  It was the smartest move we did.  Now we have a cushion to work off of for at least 8 months until we start to get worried.  

Christmas Eve I worked from 8 am - 1pm.  My husband out and about running errands and getting ingredients for our dinner.  I requested that he go to 99 Ranch (Asian Market) and pick up two “LIVE” Dungeness crab.  He learned that night how to cook crab live from scratch, clean it and crack it.  I am very impressed ALWAYS that he is so adaptable and willing to try or learn anything.  Now, it’s a very simple process and you can’t get any better than live fresh crab.  He prepped and cooked dinner for me.  I am so lucky to have him in my life.  He has done so much for me over the course of the year.  So supportive during the months I stayed in Vegas, so supportive when I didn’t have a job for 7 months, so loving, so caring- words can’t describe any more how much he means to me.

Christmas was nice, calm and sad all wrapped into one huge feeling of sadness.  Spending time with my family was relaxing but it will not ever be the same without my Dad there.  It seems totally odd that life continues to move on and go forward even though there is a huge chunk missing.  At times throughout the year, I wished that I could go back in time and re-live that last month I had with him.  I don’t have any regrets, I just miss the hugs, saying the word “Dad”, “I love you Dad”, kisses, big bear hugs, the short conversations- things that many people take for granted.  At the same time, I don’t want to relive this year of sorrow, the crying, the sadness.  Time needs to move on, I need to grieve at the pace, I don’t need to go back, I have such great/amazing memories of what he was and always will be to me.  I don’t need to explain to anyone, I just know.  Memories are an amazing thing.  You have them as long as you can remember.  Christmas came and past.  On the 27th, I drove my Mom back home to Henderson.  While in Henderson, I had an opportunity to hang out with my friend Jennifer.  We went to this yummy restaurant called Vox.  We devoured these White Truffle Oil Edamame which was delicious with Maltin sea Salt (huge crystal salt with a mild flavor)- really good.  Jennifer and I split a really yummy mac and cheese with truffle oil.  We had dessert and all I can say- blah!  This place or at least the bar menu is not about the dessert.  (Next time Jennifer- we need to order from the restaurant menu- did you check it out online?  It looked much better).  Speaking of truffle oil, it’s the way to go.  I purchased a bottle on line and I use it regularly.  You can only use it at the end or else all the flavor is cooked out, if you use it too early.  I flew home on Tuesday night the 30th.  It was a good visit.  My Mom had plans were her friends to celebrate the New Year and I had plans to hang and be low key at my place with neighbors.  

New Year’s Eve, I worked from 8 am - 1 pm - all this week over the holidays is double time.  My office is closed from the 24th through the 5th of January.  A very nice break.  I offered to work that skeleton crew so I can make double pay to assist with finances.  My husband and I made dinner together.  Filet Mignon with a balsamic reduction sauce, roasted vegetables- asparagus, mushrooms, carrots, squash and you can’t forget the starch- 1/2 a baked potato.  Finish that meal with a nice red wine.  Dinner was quiet, just the two of us (who else).  This will probably be the last quiet year.  We hope to have a family this time next year.