TAKING IT BACK....

I'm taking all my nasty thoughts about Bruno back.  He emailed this morning and has been sick since Saturday.  I made him get his flu shot at CVS, he wanted to wait until he saw his doctor, which I knew wasn't gong to happen any time soon. He travels so much on planes with all those germy people he just can't avoid getting sick.  This is the third year he has come down with flu like, coughing symptoms. 

He did say he was traveling back home tomorrow.  We'll see if he is well enough to come over, I kind of doubt it and frankly if he is still sick I'd as soon he'd stay home.  I don't need his germs although I'd love to see him, as it has been several weeks. At least I know that he hasn't gone off into the sunset.  My mind sometimes produces these scenarios that aren't good.  Must stop that!!

Today I'm cleaning house, painting those damn pots, and getting myself together to go to an Elks meeting tonight.  I've  been trying to lose another 10 to 15 pounds and I think I will just eat something at home. The Elks always has truck driver food.  It goes along with my thinking if somewhere says "good eats", or "home cooking," avoid it like the plague. the Elks stays in that mode.

Caught up with some friends via phone today and have made some plans for next week with them.  I have somethings going on next week and will have to iron the logistics out.

I'm hoping my eye lid is better.  I think something bit me while I was sleeping and it is a little swollen and red.  I thought it was my lash extensions, but since I've had those for months, it is a little bugger of some kind.  I'm thinking baby spider.  If there is one bug anywhere it finds me.  I'm going to have to put Camille on notice that she needs to attack those things and eliminate them.  She is a great cat for pouncing, whereas Mikee just looks at the bug and thinks it is beneath him to do anything to it or about it..... typical man, leave it up to the woman of the house.

Other then that today is pretty much settled for things to do.

 

CYBER PROBLEMS AGAIN.....

It is amazing that I can put in the same URL and password and come up with another site that has nothing to do with this one.  I've been off the grid for a while due to that problem and due to the fact I've been really busy.

Saturday Vet man and I drove to Camp Pendleton to attend the Memorial for the Chosin on the base.  It was a very moving ceremony.  We were suppose to stay for lunch, but he had to get back to Orange County to help set up for an event in Orange.  Fine with me. This sojourn was to meet the Chosin men who survived the battle and to invite them personally to the Marine Corps Ball on November 10th.  Mission accomplished.

 He wanted to stop somewhere for lunch before he headed back and since San Juan Capistrano is on the way home we stopped at the Depot.  It is a lovely train station restaurant near the Mission.  The middle of the patio has a fountain and the umbrellas shaded everyone, the building is old mission style.  I personally thought we should have stayed for the luncheon on the base but he really didn't want to.....I didn't ask why.

The Wednesday before I drove down to Cardiff by the Sea for a surprise birthday party for one of the Kona girls.  She had no clue when she walked into the house and it was a complete surprise.  There were six of us as the rest are either up North or in Oregon, so it was a compact group and it was put on by a gal that loves to do events and does them well.

Bruno is still back East and the last I heard from him was on Wednesday and that was in answer to an email I sent.  Very short and sweet on his end.  I know he is traveling and busy, but he can be so frustrating. He had said he was coming back this week either Wednesday or Thursday and we are suppose to go to LA but since I haven't heard from him I'm not counting on it.  I had asked him to let me know so I can get my grand daughter set up for cat sitting, but that obviously went over his head.  He can be such a pain, but I know how he is and have accepted it.  I suppose someday I'll have enough of it but until that time...........

My Grand daughter took me out to dinner on Friday night.  It was early but we had a great time and then she had to go off to a job.  She really is a delightful young lady and very focused.

Vet man asked me to take him to the OC airport today.  He was leaving for the East Coast and Florida to see his childrren.  Since the airport is only ten minutes from my house and he lives fairly close I agreed to do it. 

Yesterday, Sunday, I was in Laguna and it was a beautiful day.  It was late enough so the sun wasn't a big problem.  It has been in the ninties and one hundreds and the beach has been hot too.  By 4:00 p.m. it was very pretty and the sun on the ocean sparkled.  I walked around and looked, stopped for a drink and something to eat and then home.

Staying home tonight putting another coat of paint on my thirty center piece pots.  Painting red over white takes three coats.....who knew that even with primer in the paint it is still a process.

That's it for now.







 

BUSY WEEK....

It is amazing how the weeks fly by and most days are taken up with errands.  You would think when your by yourself that you wouldn't have to do so many things.

Monday morning I drove over to my alteration lady who lives a couple miles away. I found a perfect black crepe evening gown by Vera Wang for the Marine Corps Ball.  It is elegant and understated.  However, the back was slightly longer then the front and that posed a problem.  If one dances you are stepping on the train.  It was just enough to be annoying.  Also took over a French lace jacket that goes with a black velvet gown.  I have a Marilyn Monroe dress in black, the one she wore in the Seven Year Itch, and that needed a couple of darts. This alteration lady worked as the head seamstress at St. John Knits, so everything she does is spot on. She was definitely a wonderful find.


Monday night I went to Monday night football.  Not as great as the Denver game on Sunday, which is my favorite team.  I should root for the San Diego Chargers, but my interest is Denver....my brother lives in Colorado and has been a season ticket holder for many years.  He was the one that sparked my interest in the team. Being from a football town in Ohio it is my professional game of choice.  I find that baseball is like watching grass grow, basketball is okay, at least it is fast, and the rest are just so-so.

September 11 being the horrible day it was so many years ago, went by with a meeting to pack boxes to go to Afghanistan.  The transit company came to pick up the sofa and I again have an empty living room

I went over to the furniture store where they gave me my total amount of money back.  After that I drove to five different stores and finally decided I'd buy an inexpensive sectional and keep it for a couple of years until I find exactly what I want.  Nothing easy!

I was so upset by this sofa thing that I emailed Bruno to vent.  He sent me an email back saying, "honey go ahead and vent and it will be fine."  Then later he called and left a message.  He actually put things in perspective.  His comment was, "It's just a couch."  He is right.  With all the terrible things going on in the world a problem with a stupid sofa isn't a big deal in the long range scheme of things.  My sensible German.

Wednesday I had an appointment to get my hair cut and after running around all day I landed there at four o'clock.  My hairdresser who I have been gong to for at least twelve years has moved four times, but I love her and at least she stays in the area.

Thursday was dinner with my friend from my old neighborhood, we manage to go out at least once every month or two to catch up.

Friday was a movie with my good friend and Friday night another meeting for the Marine Corp Ball.  Vet man wanted to discuss things further and took me to The Old Ship restaurant for dinner.  I'm sure tongues wagged at us walking out the door. He is going through a hard time with his dog who is elderly and a Lab.  He isn't doing well and it is just a matter of time.

I'm home today, Saturday and have a million things to get done so I better get moving.

Have a great rest of the weekend.




 

SOFA PICK UP AND THINGS

Today is the sofa pick up and then I have to get myself over to the store to see that the refund actually is applied to my card.  I'm still waiting for the $500.00 refund to show up that was given back to me for the Poly-fill and feathers they took out of the seat cushions so the fabric would stop slipping....that didn't happen even after the feathers where removed.

The latest from the transit company is that they will be here around four o'clock to pick up the sofa and then I need to start going out to look for a sofa all over again.  I'm going to try Pottery Barn and Macy's....I think I'll just stay with a price point of a couple thousand, that way if it falls apart I won't feel so bad when I have to replace it.

Bruno sent me an email today asking when I needed his input for music for the Marine Corps Ball.  I had told him asap, but since he doesn't read, like most men, he asked when I wanted it.  I sent back asap.  We'll see if that sticks. He also asked how I was doing, a first.  Normally he stays on point and doesn't deviate from his thought process. He is back on the East Coast at least for another week and a half.

I have a meeting tonight and early we will be packing boxes of items to be shipped to Afghanistan for our troops. Vet man is in Hollywood taking some back East company around to sight see.  This Saturday we are at a Vet job fair together.  Things seem to be going along with the MCB event and for that I'm grateful.

Of course in keeping with nothing easy, I still have thirty center pieces to do and the pots haven't come in at the wholesale florist.  Actually they came in, but they were green.  I had ordered white and since I have to paint them red, three coats for coverage, I'm getting nervous about the timeline.  I've put in three calls to no avail.  The answer I get is "I'm checking."

Weather has been hot and humid but a little better today.  The rest of the week is taken up with appointments for hair, nails, doctor appointments for check ups and dinners with friends. 
I can't believe how fast time is going.

Onwards and upwards.

END OF THE SOFA SAGA...........

You won't believe it the sofa is going back, I think, this time for good and a refund of my money.  When this piece of furniture arrived it looked okay.  The more you sit on it the worse the seats and pillows became.  It creased, wrinkled and looked like it was twelve years old.  I've literally had it with the thing.

I took pictures last night and sent them to the sales person and the manager.  I talked to the manager today and she said she was calling the owner to see what could be done crediting my money back to my card. 

I'm more then unhappy.  I love the configuration but the workmanship from the factory is crap  I would have been better buying a cheap thousand dollar sofa, it would have looked better.  This thing was five times that much and it is a disaster. We'll see what happens and if their customer service is good.  I refuse to send it back for the fourth time.

Today I went through my shoes.  I have over one hundred and fifty pairs and a lot of them need to be tossed.  I did just that.  I still have to many but on the next go around I'll glean the closet out.  Next it is clothes.



 

A LITTLE M.I.A.......

This week has gotten away from me. i spent a couple days looking for an evening gown for the November event.  After a lot of looking and rejecting I found a Vera Wang black crepe that is very elegant.  I have a black gown that I purchased at Neiman Marcus, but it is a little Angelina Jolie looking and I decided it wasn't what I wanted to wear to this function.

Bruno came home a day early and drove down to pick up some prints in Orange County.  He swung by the house prior to picking up his items.  I was totally surprised, as always, since he said he wasn't coming home until Wednesday. He volunteered to pick up the items because he wanted to see me.  He prefaced his text by saying we were still going out on Thursday and coming by wasn't negating anything. He does have a track record of canceling.

He did come back on Thursday, an hour early.  I've been after him to get his flu shot and he had declined.  As we were sitting on the sofa talking and he announced he would go to the local drug store and get the shot.  That made me really happy since for the last two years he has been so sick for months, his constant plane travel puts him at risk  for all germs, so his willingness to go to the drug store and not the doctor's office was a big surrender. He can be such a snob about things sometimes.

We went out Thursday evening to a local place in Anaheim Hills that is over the top with characters.  They have a pretty good size dance floor, which is a draw, but you couldn't get these people out of Central Casting.  Bruno writes, among his many talents, and he was enthralled with the weird men and women at this place.  I honestly can't imagine where they live or where they buy their outfits.  It really is horrifying.  At least he was getting fodder for his scripts.

Women in their 60's with skin tight mini skirts in leopard with six inch heels that looked like they came from Payless or K-Mart.  Hair that was piled high. One little women came in with a  flower with feathers on the top o f her head, a striped mini skirt and zebra striped heels. Do these people not have mirrors? The women don't have a corner on the market either.  There was an Elvis type greaser guy there whose hair rivaled any toupe plus muliply that ten fold over. Maybe they all think it is Halloween.

The food is good there, don't ask me why.  There is a five restaurant attached that has nothing to do with the bar/dance floor area and they supply the happy hour food.  Bruno and I split a chicken sandwhich and we both had shrimp cocktals.  The sandwhich was enormous and very good and I'm glad we split it along with the fries.  The whole place is odd but a hoot.

I'm sure people think we are crazy because we do a lot of laughing at people.  We do look like we are enjoying ourselves, which we are.  We don't fit in and decided that went for most places in Orange County.

On another note, the day we bought the Cleopatra tickets for had to be changed.  Bruno is leaving this evening for Texas, then Massachusetts, and finally Florida.  He is making the trek for a man that I told him and he already knows, he has to be wary of.  Two Alpha dogs don't play nice in the sand box and I look for a blow up before this whole relationship ends.  For the time being the money, as a consultant, is great but you sometimes pay the price for the almightly dollar. The Texas stop is to see his son and grand kids as it is Bruno's Birthday and his six year old grand daughter is baking him a cake.

I'm home tonight, Friday, then tomorrow it is an Italian Night held at the Elks.  I'm meeting friends there. More going on next week. 

Thought I'd better get caught up.

 

LABOR DAY WEEKEND...

The sofa returned and is much better but not perfect.  I really give up trying to get them to get it right.  It does look better but I can nit pick since I've had so many problems with it....I think I'll just keep what they did and go onwards and upwards.

I did attend the meeting Thursday night.  Vet man and the rest of the boys were in rare form.  They love to tease me and I can give as good as I get.  We did final just about everything.  The only thing I couldn't get them to commit to is to put black tie optional on the flyer.  It amazes me that they are so hell bent on staying with protocol with this event and when it comes to what you are suppose to wear the boys balked. 

Everything I saw on the Internet required formal wear.  Either tuxedos, Marine uniforms, or black suits.  I told Bruno he could do either, but knowing how he'd love to show off his Armani or whatever he has, he will probably wear a tux.  Of course all of this is predicated on whether he actually goes.  He promised, but then that never means much.  I, again, always expect the worst and if it turns out that he does fine, and if he doesn't fine too.

Today, Saturday, the street fair in Orange is in full swing. Vet man is working a booth, I'm staying home and can't decide if I actually want to go out and fight the weekend crowds that are everywhere for the last hurrah of summer.  The beach in full swing for the big weekend.  I guess it is a good place to stay away from/

I did a few things at home and am still debating if I need to go out or not.  I'm just getting over a sinus infection that had me down for three days and I suppose I should forget about venturing out the door.  It is 6:30 p.m. and I will probably give in and stay put. However I am bored.

Mikee, my cat, is more then thrilled when I'm home.  He really does think he is my husband and if Bruno comes around and then leaves, Mikee leaves me a present somewhere.  He really does know how to get across his displeasure.  He is so jealous of anyone that he thinks may take his place.

Not much else to report except a little email I had from a man in San Diego.  He is over the top with his words and says he wants to meet me.  Not going to happen.  I should have kept all the emails I had sent to me in the last two years.  Most of them are a hoot.

Off to feed Mikee.