We got the place we wanted for the day we wanted....Mark your calendars with Sharpie please, because Chris and I will be celebrating our marriage with friends and family back East on August 1, 2009.
Whoo -hoo!
Of course, I still need to do a butt-load of picture uploading and make several changes and updates to the wedding website, but it shouldn't take me that long to do once I sit down and actually do it...sigh...perhaps that would have been a good endeavor to undertake whilst I was home on the couch for three days. Retrospect is great!
Hope you all had a good weekend. I have felt like crap and haven't really done anything for the last three days except for go to the eye doctor Saturday. I can't believe my vision continues to get worse, we are talking about over 25 years of continued annual vision decline here, I am practically blind! The bright side of the coin is that my vision insurance is great, and my new pair of glasses was the cheapest (and nicest) pair I think I have had since I have had to start paying for them myself. Of course, it takes more than twice as long for my glasses to come in as it does for Chris', but that's because little tiny magical elves have to make my lenses - super ultra-light poly-carbonate lenses, they are the shiznit!
Anyway, happy Monday and email me if things aren't working right around here since the template change. There are a few more changes I want to make, so keep an eye out for 'em. I am now starting to label my posts, so there is a new change right there....not sure how that will show up in the blog though, so I'll have to check back tonight and make any necessary corrections. Peace!
Monday, March 9, 2009
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Few Minor Changes
Just tweaking things a bit around here. I decided the old layout was pretty boring. More changes are probably on their way, so stay tuned! Let me know if any of the links don't work or if you have any problems navigating around.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
I Want a Garden!
For starters, lets get the fact that I stayed up waaaaayyy too late last night out of the way. We don't watch much TV, but last night there were three shows on that we liked (four if you count that Chris insists on watching Glenn Beck every frickin' day), and by the time we were done watching them all (from the DVR box so we didn't even have to worry about commercials) it was almost 11:30...Well, we did go grocery shopping and by the time we got home, it was almost 7:30....
Moving on.
I want a garden. I want one real bad. It already seems like winter is completely over and Spring has started. I have bulbs coming up in the front yard. My rosebushes have new leaves on them, the creeping plants I put on the side of the house have started to flourish and spread out with new leaves.
I found this nice article that talks about planting a Victory garden for our times, and I just have the urge to get out there and make my garden happen. Like I want to stay home from work today and weed and till and plant stuff (I think it is probably still too early to actually plant anything, but you get my idea). I want dirty fingernails and hoes and rakes and shovels and stuff. I want to go to the garden center and get a bunch of veggie plants and some fruit bushes and just start my own farmer's market on the cul de sac.
I would also like chickens, but both Chris and our neighborhood association say I can't.
Bottom line is apparently this is what "Spring Fever" is when you are old.
I am old, and I am okay with it.
Also, if anyone in the Boise area wants some zucchini in a few months, let me know : )
Moving on.
I want a garden. I want one real bad. It already seems like winter is completely over and Spring has started. I have bulbs coming up in the front yard. My rosebushes have new leaves on them, the creeping plants I put on the side of the house have started to flourish and spread out with new leaves.
I found this nice article that talks about planting a Victory garden for our times, and I just have the urge to get out there and make my garden happen. Like I want to stay home from work today and weed and till and plant stuff (I think it is probably still too early to actually plant anything, but you get my idea). I want dirty fingernails and hoes and rakes and shovels and stuff. I want to go to the garden center and get a bunch of veggie plants and some fruit bushes and just start my own farmer's market on the cul de sac.
I would also like chickens, but both Chris and our neighborhood association say I can't.
Bottom line is apparently this is what "Spring Fever" is when you are old.
I am old, and I am okay with it.
Also, if anyone in the Boise area wants some zucchini in a few months, let me know : )
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Why Is Being Healthy So Expensive?
I haven't been taking very good care of myself lately - not working out (lets be honest, I never really did), not doing yoga, not taking time for myself, etc....and there has been A LOT of stress around here (see previous post about Chris almost getting laid off and deciding to elope to Vegas). Also, I live in frickin' Idaho. 'Nuf said.
It is also very hard for me to be an effective massage therapist when I am not taking care of myself, and it becomes a vicious cycle - I don't take care of myself and I don't get any clients. Maybe the universe sees clear to send me one or two when I don't have enough money to pay all the bills that month (and you would be surprised to know how many times that has happened), but those clients never re-book. Well, right before we left for Vegas, I had two clients call me within two days of each other. One I am seeing this weekend, and the other I have already seen twice before. They are both for the specialized massage technique that I do, so we spend a long time going over the intake paperwork and the session is just much longer than a "normal" massage.
Anyway, last week when I saw my new client for the second time, she said she had been to get acupuncture, and the woman she saws specializes in the helping the same type of health issues that I do. I didn't have an acupuncturist to be able to refer people to, and her office is on my way home from work, so I decided to make an appointment to check things out.
I went last night and she was great! She has a much lighter needling technique than the guy I used to see in New York and was very knowledgeable. She also has an entire wall full of books in her treatment room that I got to look through while she was going over my intake paperwork. I left with the same light, peaceful feeling that I was used to (I rented space in an acupuncture clinic for my massage practice in NY and getting free acupuncture once a month was part of my "lease"). Problem was, and I am by no means a cheap person - the initial one hour appointment was $145.
Yup, $145. Some of you who know me will say "Well, your initial appointment costs $135." Yes, it does, but it is also for two and a half to three and a half hours and I come to your house. I show you how to do the massage for yourself (which is where the real healing takes place) and I don't tell you that you need to come back twice a week for the next month (at least!) at $80 for each session.
Also, she "strongly" recommended that I start taking some herbs and supplements, which I totally understand are a good thing to do. I am already taking some herbs that are from the massage technique that I do that I know are safe and will accomplish my goals, and are also rather inexpensive - $40 and you have enough to last you an entire year. The stuff she wanted me to take would have ended up costing about $150/month.
Who has this kind of money?? Do I have $1000 a month to spend on this stuff? Um, no. And seriously, does she have people that are spending this kind of money?? Maybe they can give some to me : ) Aren't we a Bailout Nation know? lol
I don't want to come across as being a penny pincher; when it comes to my health I understand that prevention is the most important thing and I would rather pay $150 for herbs if it means I wont have a $10 copay for a potentially harmful drug from the pharmacy. All I am saying is , it was a bit much, and when I made an appointment for two weeks, she really tried to get me in sooner.
What it all boils down to though, is I know that I can't let anyone else be responsible for making me healthy. I can't rely on an acupuncturist or a yoga teacher or a doctor to do "the one thing" that is going to make me whole and healthy. They can help, they can make suggestions, but when it comes down to it, its about me making the time and the decision to be healthy, and working towards that goal. Its all about taking care of myself with my end result in mind and making changes to help me get there. No one can do this for me, no herb is going to be the magic thing I need. All of these things can help me, but in the end, my actions and decisions will matter most.
With that being said - I am not sick or dying or anything like that, just a little off balance so to speak; in need of a little adjustment. I don't want anyone thinking I am out here in Idaho dying of some horrible disease and not telling you.
Now, to end the post on a happy note (and to help me clean out my photo files), here are some pictures of all the socks I knitted for Christmas.
Dad's socks
Brother James' socks
Mom's socks
I also knit a pair for Chris, but I don't have any pictures of them. Oh well...they were cream colored with reinforced heel flaps and toes. He loved them even though they are more a slipper sock than a pair of boot socks like I was hoping they would be.
And, just because I can, here is a picture of Ursa in her new favorite pose - she sleeps like this almost every night and I find it supremely entertaining.
It is also very hard for me to be an effective massage therapist when I am not taking care of myself, and it becomes a vicious cycle - I don't take care of myself and I don't get any clients. Maybe the universe sees clear to send me one or two when I don't have enough money to pay all the bills that month (and you would be surprised to know how many times that has happened), but those clients never re-book. Well, right before we left for Vegas, I had two clients call me within two days of each other. One I am seeing this weekend, and the other I have already seen twice before. They are both for the specialized massage technique that I do, so we spend a long time going over the intake paperwork and the session is just much longer than a "normal" massage.
Anyway, last week when I saw my new client for the second time, she said she had been to get acupuncture, and the woman she saws specializes in the helping the same type of health issues that I do. I didn't have an acupuncturist to be able to refer people to, and her office is on my way home from work, so I decided to make an appointment to check things out.
I went last night and she was great! She has a much lighter needling technique than the guy I used to see in New York and was very knowledgeable. She also has an entire wall full of books in her treatment room that I got to look through while she was going over my intake paperwork. I left with the same light, peaceful feeling that I was used to (I rented space in an acupuncture clinic for my massage practice in NY and getting free acupuncture once a month was part of my "lease"). Problem was, and I am by no means a cheap person - the initial one hour appointment was $145.
Yup, $145. Some of you who know me will say "Well, your initial appointment costs $135." Yes, it does, but it is also for two and a half to three and a half hours and I come to your house. I show you how to do the massage for yourself (which is where the real healing takes place) and I don't tell you that you need to come back twice a week for the next month (at least!) at $80 for each session.
Also, she "strongly" recommended that I start taking some herbs and supplements, which I totally understand are a good thing to do. I am already taking some herbs that are from the massage technique that I do that I know are safe and will accomplish my goals, and are also rather inexpensive - $40 and you have enough to last you an entire year. The stuff she wanted me to take would have ended up costing about $150/month.
Who has this kind of money?? Do I have $1000 a month to spend on this stuff? Um, no. And seriously, does she have people that are spending this kind of money?? Maybe they can give some to me : ) Aren't we a Bailout Nation know? lol
I don't want to come across as being a penny pincher; when it comes to my health I understand that prevention is the most important thing and I would rather pay $150 for herbs if it means I wont have a $10 copay for a potentially harmful drug from the pharmacy. All I am saying is , it was a bit much, and when I made an appointment for two weeks, she really tried to get me in sooner.
What it all boils down to though, is I know that I can't let anyone else be responsible for making me healthy. I can't rely on an acupuncturist or a yoga teacher or a doctor to do "the one thing" that is going to make me whole and healthy. They can help, they can make suggestions, but when it comes down to it, its about me making the time and the decision to be healthy, and working towards that goal. Its all about taking care of myself with my end result in mind and making changes to help me get there. No one can do this for me, no herb is going to be the magic thing I need. All of these things can help me, but in the end, my actions and decisions will matter most.
With that being said - I am not sick or dying or anything like that, just a little off balance so to speak; in need of a little adjustment. I don't want anyone thinking I am out here in Idaho dying of some horrible disease and not telling you.
Now, to end the post on a happy note (and to help me clean out my photo files), here are some pictures of all the socks I knitted for Christmas.
Dad's socks
Brother James' socks
Mom's socks
I also knit a pair for Chris, but I don't have any pictures of them. Oh well...they were cream colored with reinforced heel flaps and toes. He loved them even though they are more a slipper sock than a pair of boot socks like I was hoping they would be.And, just because I can, here is a picture of Ursa in her new favorite pose - she sleeps like this almost every night and I find it supremely entertaining.
"What? I'm pretty!"
Monday, February 23, 2009
What is it About Mondays?
I just realized I pretty much get on here and blog every Monday morning about how much I don't want to go to work...what's up with that? I love my job - see previous post about Red Vines, sheep toys and Sunkist orange soda in the vending machines. Don't know what it is about Mondays....
I did pretty much nothing all weekend. I had a client on Saturday afternoon and then met Chris at work for a bit, ended up the day with a little shopping at Bed, Bath and Beyond. The day we left to go to Vegas, all of my co-workers chipped in and got us a very nice gift certificate to there and threw me a little party (complete with cake I couldn't eat because I was so nervous and nauseous I could barely stand up straight). I got some stools for the bar/counter so I can sit and watch Chris cook...he is so cute when he cooks! We still have a good chunk of change left over, and I have no idea what to spend it on, any suggestions? There isn't really anything we need, I just have that terrible "I want to go shopping" urge, and it is driving me nuts!
I do have some exciting news to tell you - we may have finally set a date for the reception back in New York. Keep your fingers crossed for August 1, 2009. As soon as we have confirmation that we get that date (in about two weeks) we will let you know for sure. As many of you know, things tend to get mucked up as far as this wedding and reception have gone, so I urge you to mark your calendars with pencil and not Sharpie. We will definitely do a party in the Albany/Middleburgh area, and are looking at the possibility of having one in the North Country as well. Not sure about that one though as our time off is limited, and depending on what Chris' work schedule is, we might not be able to go home for two full weekends, which would make having two parties kind of impossible.
As always, check the wedding website for details (I would wait until tomorrow to do that since I am now running late for work and don't have time to update it) and if you don't have the address, just email me and I will get the link out to you. Have a lovely Monday!
I did pretty much nothing all weekend. I had a client on Saturday afternoon and then met Chris at work for a bit, ended up the day with a little shopping at Bed, Bath and Beyond. The day we left to go to Vegas, all of my co-workers chipped in and got us a very nice gift certificate to there and threw me a little party (complete with cake I couldn't eat because I was so nervous and nauseous I could barely stand up straight). I got some stools for the bar/counter so I can sit and watch Chris cook...he is so cute when he cooks! We still have a good chunk of change left over, and I have no idea what to spend it on, any suggestions? There isn't really anything we need, I just have that terrible "I want to go shopping" urge, and it is driving me nuts!
I do have some exciting news to tell you - we may have finally set a date for the reception back in New York. Keep your fingers crossed for August 1, 2009. As soon as we have confirmation that we get that date (in about two weeks) we will let you know for sure. As many of you know, things tend to get mucked up as far as this wedding and reception have gone, so I urge you to mark your calendars with pencil and not Sharpie. We will definitely do a party in the Albany/Middleburgh area, and are looking at the possibility of having one in the North Country as well. Not sure about that one though as our time off is limited, and depending on what Chris' work schedule is, we might not be able to go home for two full weekends, which would make having two parties kind of impossible.
As always, check the wedding website for details (I would wait until tomorrow to do that since I am now running late for work and don't have time to update it) and if you don't have the address, just email me and I will get the link out to you. Have a lovely Monday!
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Dear Blog,
I haven't forgotten about you baby, I promise.
No, its not you...its me. Really.
Its not that I'm just not that in to you...I promise that I am.
I'll be back soon. You can count on it. Its just that, for right now, I am spending all of my free time on Facebook, BUT it doesn't mean that I love you any less.
xxoo,
Karen
PS - All i am knitting are secret presents and a giant sweater of no obvious design or interest (but that I love nonetheless), so you guys aren't missing much. Valentine's Day was nice - I made an ass kicking lasagna and some darn good meatballs (thanks for the recipe Celia!). Chris got me a super sweet card and we snuggled when he got home from work. All is well in Boise, except for this darn Facebook thing : ) Be back soon - promise!
No, its not you...its me. Really.
Its not that I'm just not that in to you...I promise that I am.
I'll be back soon. You can count on it. Its just that, for right now, I am spending all of my free time on Facebook, BUT it doesn't mean that I love you any less.
xxoo,
Karen
PS - All i am knitting are secret presents and a giant sweater of no obvious design or interest (but that I love nonetheless), so you guys aren't missing much. Valentine's Day was nice - I made an ass kicking lasagna and some darn good meatballs (thanks for the recipe Celia!). Chris got me a super sweet card and we snuggled when he got home from work. All is well in Boise, except for this darn Facebook thing : ) Be back soon - promise!
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Argh....
It snowed last night, maybe an inch, maybe an inch and a half.
You get no blog post today because this means it will take me AN HOUR to drive to work.
I am sorry for your loss.
Pacify yourself with wedding ceremony pictures received in the mail yesterday. Also, how my husband did not call me at work and tell me they came in the mail as he was downloading the CD to his hard drive so he could email me all the pictures while I was still at work, is beyond me. Men...sheesh!
Quick comment on this last picture - Why hasn't anyone told me that Kim Kardashian's ass is following me around and apparently is attached to my body?? Seriously, that thing is outta control, and yet ironically, it is in control top stockings! If we can't laugh at ourselves, who can we laugh at?? I love the look on Chris' face though, so I had to put this one up.
If you are in the Boise area, safe driving this morning, and if you are in a place where people actually know how to drive (i.e. NOT Boise) feel pity for me this morning please.
And my ginormoius ass.
That is all.
Thank you.
You get no blog post today because this means it will take me AN HOUR to drive to work.
I am sorry for your loss.
Pacify yourself with wedding ceremony pictures received in the mail yesterday. Also, how my husband did not call me at work and tell me they came in the mail as he was downloading the CD to his hard drive so he could email me all the pictures while I was still at work, is beyond me. Men...sheesh!
Quick comment on this last picture - Why hasn't anyone told me that Kim Kardashian's ass is following me around and apparently is attached to my body?? Seriously, that thing is outta control, and yet ironically, it is in control top stockings! If we can't laugh at ourselves, who can we laugh at?? I love the look on Chris' face though, so I had to put this one up.
If you are in the Boise area, safe driving this morning, and if you are in a place where people actually know how to drive (i.e. NOT Boise) feel pity for me this morning please.
And my ginormoius ass.
That is all.
Thank you.
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