Ding, Dong... Avon Calling..

 

                                                          

Yesterday my sweet sister-in-law, Becky came over and signed me on as a new Avon Lady.  Yep, watch out!  I may be at your door one day.

Not really..

I don't have time to do door to door; I work full-time with 4 kids at home.  I'll be selling here and there at work, online..etc..  Where I can find the time.  Oh and of course I can sell stuff to you.  No pressure now, BUT there are some really cute stuff on sale for Christmas time..  Don't worry (?) I'll put my link on the side bar and constantly remind you what great buys there are.  I wouldn't want my Jland friends to miss out on 1/2 sale on Skin So Soft baby oil, ya' know.. 

                                                

When I was younger, we had an Avon lady who came door to door.  Her name was Connie, and she really became a friend of the family.  She even was invited to my wedding, and she came.  She gave me this beautiful china plate, that I still have on display.  It was from my first marriage, and over 20 years, but it's so pretty, I can't put it away--it was one of my favorite gifts.  Since then I've bought many other plates from Avon; especially the Christmas ones--I think my collection starts form 1983--not sure.  I also bought some from Princess Crystal too.  I have a LOT of plates; not suitable for throwing.  Most of them are put away until Christmas. 

In other news, I have about 20 something people coming over today for a party.  The jump house people are going to be here at 1pm; Andrew starts his flag football practice at 1:45, Liz goes to work and gets out at 3, and guests will be coming over around that time--food will be ready at 5pm, and I have cupcakes, salads to make and a backyard to tidy..  I will casually leave Avon brochures around the house.. Sneaky, I know.  Got to dash away from the computer now...   Pictures of jumping people coming later!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Thursday, hello!

                       

Word is that the Autumn season has arrived, but by looking out the window, you would never guess..  We've had some really nice, warm and summery feeling days all this week, but of course, I'm at work, and I can't enjoy the ocean that is about mile away from this ghetto office building.. 

I did not sleep well last night, and I have an awful migraine headache coupled with cramps.  Oh it's so wonderful being a woman, isn't it girls?  Yeah, I know, it's just simply LOVELY.  (Not!)

I woke up feeling a little blue, and it just hit me what day it was: 9/27..  Not one of my favorite days on the calendar.  Weird how you wake up all yucky; your body already knowing that it isn't your good day, and your mind doesn't seem to remember until later; out of the blue it hits you..  20 years ago on this day I miscarried my first pregnancy.  The whole experience was a nightmare, and the stupid doctor that tended to me at the hospital was not a very nice person.  "Try again in 30 days.."  You would think I was getting an oil change or something..  Oh well, I did.  Lizzy was born 10 months later, and I can't imagine my life without that crazy nut, below-pictured here with her "summer sister" Tania.  Yes, we are having Panda Express at the party too...she's spoiled.                                                          

Her REAL birthday was spent on a plane earlier this month, so this weekend we are going to have a real birthday party.  What does my 19 year old want for her birthday?  A jump house!   She had one last year, and she and the kids had a blast. 

                                              

I called the jump house people this week, and it's all scheduled for Sunday. 

"How old is the birthday boy or girl?" the woman at the jump house place asked on the phone. 

"Four."  I replied.  I don't think she would be too keen on the idea that the birthday girl was 19. 

 

Caipirinhas, Anyone?

Wow a video!  No, it's not mine but its from my good cousin, Coelho, AKA:  Jose.   He is much better with YouTube than I am, obviously! 

During our visit to the island, we were invited to his home for dinner, where he made us the famous Caipirinha!  It's a delicious drink!!  I asked him later for the recipe, and instead, he sent me a video!  What a guy, huh?  I don't know if he is available for parties, but as you can tell, this guy knows how to dance with the shakers, don't he?  HA HA HA.. 

                               

Here we are at the home of the famous Caipirinha  Nicholas was not a happy camper.  I'm the sickly one behind the watermelon.  We had a nice time at his house.  My voice was so bad, I sounded like someone that had 10 Caipirinhas at one sitting.

                             

Coelho and his adorable little girl, Rita.. 

                                 

There he goes again...  Shakin' away... 

Feel free to visit his YouTube site, and leave a comment--he'll be thrilled!  Tell him that Julie sent you!  :)    YouTube - Caipirinha by Jose

Possom... It's Whats For Dinner?

                                   

When I was younger, one of my favorite shows to watch on T.V. was of course, the Beverly Hillbillies.  Who could not help but fall in love with Granny.  She was always on the show in her fancy kitchen preparing pots and pots of steaming stews, including her very famous, Possum! 

 

Like, Granny, my mother was always in the kitchen cooking something for the family broad.  I of course liked to tease her and shout outside the kitchen window, exclaiming in my most best rendition of a hillbilly accent:

 

"Hey, Ma...  Wats for dinner?  Can we have mo' Possum tonight?" 

 

Of course, my mother didn't appreciate me saying that loudly in the backyard for all the neighbors to hear, but I always got a kick out of it. 

 

I ran across the following in my emails, and I thought I would share it with you:  

 

 

"An opossum got in my house through the back door. How do I remove it?

If there is no time to call animal control, you may be able to coax
it out with a broom. Try to avoid hurting the animal, but simply
attempt just to urge him along. Sometimes they can become quite
stubborn and hide under a table or couch, looking very fearsome by
baring their 50 teeth.  If possible, leave the door open awhile, perhaps with some cat food just outside the threshold,
and wait to see if he leaves on his own. If it is cold out, you may
have a long wait. An animal control officer is your best bet if you
are anxious for him to depart.

Do opossums make good pets?

Generally speaking, no. But there are exceptions. Animals are like
people in that no two are alike. Some people have kept opossums as
pets and enjoyed their company very much. Usually the best pets are
those rescued when very young. A full-grown opossum will rarely adapt
well to captivity.

Where can I buy an opossum?

The only place I know of that sells pet opossums is Brighten Farms of
Marshall, Indiana.  I know of no one who sells opossum meat, but believe

 it or not, I once had a meat wholesaler from the Orient write to ask me where he could buy
quantities of opossum to import to his country! I could not find a
legal source for opossum meat in the U.S.

What are the natural predators of opossums?

Many animals happily ignore the gentle opossum, and there have been
many reports of pet cats making friends with neighborhood opossums.
Their natural enemies, though, are foxes, coyotes, dogs, bobcats, and
owls. But even more than these natural predators, their greatest
enemy in the modern world is the automobile.

Did opossums really write the poetry on your poetry page?

Of course not. These poems are presented merely as a form of
lighthearted entertainment, though perhaps if they really could write
they would compose poetry similar to that found there.

Do you have any recipes for cooking opossum?

If I did, I wouldn't give them to you. Although some people do eat
opossum (it is said to taste a lot like pork), I simply don't
subscribe to the idea. One word of caution, however, to those who
insist on trying to make a meal of the critter: Opossums should not
simply be killed and eaten because they do sometimes consume carrion.
Instead, they should be captured and fed table scraps and other clean
food until the carrion is out of their system. Also bear in mind that
a small cadre of renegade opossums has been known to have sought out
people who have eaten their compatriots and lay siege to their
dwelling. Armed with crude but efficient crossbows, they may shoot
arrows into the car tires or capture and hold hostage the pets of the
offending citizens."

For questions not addressed here, or for comments and corrections of
the above, contact Possum Pop.

 

http://opossum.craton.net/faqs.htm

----------------------------------------------------------

Copyright © 1998-2007 by John Craton.
--

 

 

Out with the Old, In with the New...

                                                                               

Well, it's Monday, and here I am, back at the ghetto with my coffee at my side...

This weekend I was far too busy to sit and do an entry, let alone, work on my ant video.  With all the fuss over this silly video, you'd think it was a real big deal---it really isn't you know..  I don't want you guys to get all worked up over it, okay?  I DID manage to FINALLY copy my pictures on to a CD, on a program I have from HP that is on my computer..and this is good, considering that I have lots of pictures to copy...  After that is done, then I plan to do some fun stuff, and make a few with music in the back ground so the family out in the "Old Country" can put in their DVD players and watch like they would do a film.  All of this will be put on hold for a few weeks, because my computer has been re-located from downstairs to upstairs in my room..

We have been doing some remodeling around the home, and my husband, aka: Mr. Fix It Man, has almost complete finished our new wall!  One side of the wall is completely done and painted, and we now have a little den area where the children can do their home work, or lay back and watch some T.V...  Now my front room is almost completely empty, awaiting my new dining room set... HURRAY!!!  :)  The couches in that room have been sent down to the family room, and the old couches that WERE in that room are sitting in the garage awaiting Salvation Army pick up.  I was SO HAPPY to see those boogers (the old couch and matching chairs) leave the house.  It sure took a lot to get them out the front door of course--heavy boogers they were. 

Now I can sit on my sofa without a past...  When I say the old sofa and chairs had a "past" it means that they once belonged to my husband when he was still married to his first wife.  I never really thought about it, and really didn't bother me too much, but it definitely reminded me of the couches I HAD when I was married to my first husband.  These couches must have been purchased at the same place, during the same year---obviously a very popular "look" for the time.  You know those late 1980's style, light colored/pueblo Indian southwestern look?  The cushions were ripped in places, and there were stains (that would not come off) on the arm rests.  Nicholas I think peed on it or threw up on it more than once, and you know, no matter how many times I took the covers off and threw them in the washing machine, you always wonder what germs may be left behind in that couch..  Eeww..  Of course, when my daughter pointed the fact that his ex wife was probably was rolling around on it before...  Just that visual made me want to loose my cookies; if you know what I mean.  Oh well, they were around for 20 years; time for a change. 

We moved my mom's old dining room table out of the new room.  This table has been with me for years...literally, years.  If you look underneath it, you will see writing under the table done in crayon:  "Julie was here, 1977, age 11."  If only that table could talk.  It was with my brother after he first got married, and then it came to me after I got married, (1986) and has been following me ever since.  It went through my first marriage, a divorce, and countless moves from my condo, to a house, back to my parent's home, back to the condo, back to my parent's home, and back here...  It's on it's way back to my mom's but I just may have to write somewhere under that table, "Julie was here, 2007, age 41."              

                                                                                                                        

Friday, Another Day At The Ghetto

If you are wondering WHY you haven't gotten your ant video, it's because I have been spending a lot of my time trying to download it on YouTube with little success..  I'm still trying--I've not given up.

I took a "mental" day off yesterday and stayed home.  I went on my computer, and downloaded all my pictures from the summer, and I separated the pictures that I wanted to burn on a CD to give to my relatives as previously promised.  My E drive for some reason is not cooperating.  I put a CD in there that can hold 700 MBs, but it is saying that a file folder containing only 36 MBs will not fit?!  Weird.  I may have to go to Snapfish or Shutterfly online and do it there.  Soooo frustrating!!   

Back at work..  I forgot about my charming working environment while I was gone on vacation.  Did I miss the place?  Nope, not a bit-strange as it may seem.  I'm even more determined to get out of the ghetto.  The other day I was "greeted" in the morning by an older transient woman sitting on the curb in front of the building with butt crack showing out for all the world to see.  She was sitting there while she was rolling up a cigarette.  Oh, it's a sad world.  A male co-worker of mine, who was leaving for court, looking all damper (the guy is gay and definitely knows how to dress) tried to warn me by silently pointing at the scene with a look of horror on his face.  I just smiled back at him and laughed to myself..  It's just another day at the ghetto.   

There is a "rest area" in the parking lot intended to be there for the employees of the building to have lunch or take a cigarette break, but not many people here even dare to go there.  Usually it's because it smells of urine, or there are piles of bottles or trash around.  Lately, a chubby fellow (I'm guessing a client) has been spending his afternoons sitting there on the bench watching the parking lot.  That is just fine with me, but I really wish he would wear a shirt.  He just sits there with his belly hanging out, smiling at everyone on the bench; kind of like a Buddha statue with a lot of hair.  I'm thinking we should just give him a shirt and a hat, with some sort of badge and let him monitor the parking lot.  We've had so many "traffic incidents" with scraps, nicks and dents on cars, with people trying to park cars in and out-it's really become a problem. 

In other news at work, we have some new people in the department, and there is one guy in particular I cannot stand.  I'm sure he is a nice person, but he just comes across as too friendly and fake towards me.  I don't like receiving constant compliments of how "well I do my work" by someone who just started working here.  I want to say, "Just cut the bull crap already!"  Here is an example of what he says:  "Oh you are so knowledgeable, Julie!  You should become a probation officer.."  Or, something like this:  "Thank God you are around!  How do they run this place without you?!"  Ohhh..pleeeeze!  Sometimes I just want to slap that phony grin off his face, but I say nothing.  I just count to 10 silently.  He's young and a new guy; eventually the thrill of working in the ghetto will fade. 

By the way the receptionist is not here due to her "arm feeling like it's going to fall off."  No word if it has fallen off yet, but she hasn't been here since Monday.  While I was on vacation she was doing pretty well coming in on average of 3 to 4 days a week, now it's down to 1 day a week.  Management doesn't know what to do..   I don't get it either.

                       

Lizzyand Tania enjoying a sundae this past summer..  :)   We're looking forward to her visit next summer...

Where has the summer gone?  The leaves are all brown and orange, falling from the trees already, and there is cold nip in the air...  Sigh..  All the planning for my vacation, and my vacation just flew by like a whirlwind.  Tania--if you are reading this, I'm so much looking forward to Summer 2010!  :) 

Invasion Of The Ants/Home Sweet, Summer Home, Vila Nova

Well, folks..  I wanted to share with you a video I took at my mother's home in the Azores, but, alas' it has too many MBs, and it won't load on here.  What a bummer, I know.  If you want to see it, I can attempt to email it to you.  Just let me know if you want it sent to you...  You can actually hear my voice; well..kind of--my voice is so hoarse, I'm talking in a whisper.

As I mentioned to you before, for some reason the ants came over to visit the same time we happened to show up.  I guess it's because we are such "sweet" people, I dunno..  Lesson learned:  NEVER leave out food in the kitchen.  IT DOES NOT matter what kind of food; the ants are not discriminative.  It will invade a plate of fish just as if it was a plate of sugar laden candy! 

I woke up one morning in horror to find a invasion of ants!  There is nothing worse than feeling those little creatures scamper on your hands and arms...eeek!!  Anyway, they were quickly killed with some water and some Fairy soap, and lots of paper towels.  (Yes, Fairy is the brand name of the famous dish soap people use there.)  I filmed some parts of my mother's home, just to give you a feel of what it looked like inside.  It's one of my favorite places to be, despite the ants. 

Here are some pictures just to give you an idea...

                            

My kids on the marble stairway.  They are steep, and a bit slippery, but I love them. 

                              

Here I am with Nick at the bottom of the stairway, looking up.  Behind us is the front door. 

                             

This is a side view of my mother's home.  It's the white house with the blue bars.  From the outside, it looks like a typical home in the Azores.  Most homes are white with multicolored side bars, with many windows.  This house was originally built with rock by my grandfather, and later cemented and made safe, with a new roof.  After the earthquake of 1980, many of the homes on the island were remodeled and retrofitted (don't know if that is the correct word). 

                    

This the name of the street my mother's house is on.  It's the named after my mom's father.  Yes, we are all pretty proud of it.  It's a small street, but it does not matter.  He was recognized as a very important man who will always be remembered as somewhat of a village icon when it comes to music, dance and especially Carnaval. 

                   

Of course, I had to get the kids to pose near it..  My son Andrew is dressed as Portugal Boy, (another story in itself.

Please let me know if you want to see the video...  I'm a little bummed I can't share it with you here. 

More later..

Months Meme

This is from Dawn's Blog:  Carpe Diem - Seize the Day

Feel free to play along! 

 

This is the Months Meme.
The rules:

1. Pick your birth month, below.
2. Italic anything that does not apply to you.
3. Bold the five-ten that best apply to you.
4. Copy to your own journal, with all twelve months underneath.

 

APRIL: Active and dynamic. Decisive and hasty but tends to regret. Attractive and affectionate to oneself. Strong mentality. Loves attention. Diplomatic. Consoling, friendly and solves people's problems. Brave and fearless. Adventurous. Loving and caring. Suave and generous. Emotional. Aggressive. Hasty. Good memory. Moving. Motivates oneself and others. Sickness usually of the head and chest. Sexy in a way that only their lover can see.

P.S.  After reading your comments, I did change the BRAVE & FEARLESS from Italic to bold.  Yes, I guess I'm pretty brave & fearless..  Just goes to show that I'm not affectionate to myself--don't give myself enough credit...  Thanks for pointing this out to me.

JANUARY: Stubborn and hard-hearted. Ambitious and serious. Loves to teach and be taught. Always looking at people's flaws and weaknesses. Likes to criticize. Hardworking and productive. Smart, neat and organized. Sensitive and has deep thoughts. Knows how to make others happy. Quiet unless excited or tensed. Rather reserved. Highly attentive. Resistant to illnesses but prone to colds. Romantic but has difficulties expressing love. Loves children. Loyal. Has great social abilities yet easily jealous. Very stubborn and money cautious.
FEBRUARY: Abstract thoughts. Loves reality and abstract. Intelligent and clever. Changing personality. Attractive.Sexy. Temperamental. Quiet, shy and humble. Honest and loyal. Determined to reach goals. Loves freedom. Rebellious when restricted. Loves aggressiveness. Too sensitive and easily hurt. Gets angry really easily but does not show it. Dislikes unnecessary things. Loves making friends but rarely shows it. Daring and stubborn. Ambitious. Realizes dreams and hopes. Sharp. Loves entertainment and leisure. Romantic on the inside not outside. Superstitious and ludicrous. Spendthrift. Tries to learn to show emotions.
MARCH: Attractive personality. Sexy. Affectionate. Shy and reserved. Secretive. Naturally honest, generous and sympathetic. Loves peace and serenity. Sensitive toothers. Loves to serve others. Easily angered. Trustworthy. Appreciative and returns kindness. Observant and assesses others. Revengeful. Loves to dream and fantasize. Loves traveling. Loves attention. Hasty decisions in choosing partners. Loves home decors. Musically talented. Loves special things. Moody.
APRIL: Active and dynamic. Decisive and hasty but tends to regret. Attractive and affectionate to oneself. Strong mentality. Loves attention. Diplomatic. Consoling, friendly and solves people's problems. Brave and fearless. Adventurous. Loving and caring. Suave and generous. Emotional. Aggressive. Hasty. Good memory. Moving. Motivates oneself and others. Sickness usually of the head and chest. Sexy in a way that only their lover can see.
MAY: Stubborn and hard-hearted. Strong-willed and highly motivated. Sharp thoughts. Easily angered. Attracts others and loves attention. Deep feelings. Beautiful physically and mentally. Firm Standpoint. Needs no motivation. Easily consoled. Systematic (left brain). Loves to dream. Strong clairvoyance. Understanding. Sickness usually in the ear and neck. Good imagination. Good physical. Weak breathing. Loves literature and the arts. Loves traveling. Dislike being at home. Restless. Not having many children. Hardworking. High spirited. Spendthrift.
JUNE: Thinks far with vision. Easily influenced by kindness. Polite and soft-spoken. Having ideas. Sensitive. Active mind. Hesitating, tends to delay. Choosy and alwayswants the best. Temperamental. Funny and humorous. Loves to joke. Good debating skills. Talkative. Daydreamer. Friendly. Knows how to make friends. Able to show character. Easily hurt. Prone to getting colds. Loves to dress up. Easily bored. Fussy. Seldom shows emotions. Takes time to recover when hurt. Brand conscious. Executive. Stubborn.
JULY: Fun to be with. Secretive. Difficult to fathom and to be understood. Quiet unless excited or tensed. Takes pride in oneself. Has reputation. Easily consoled. Honest. Concerned about people's feelings. Tactful. Friendly. Approachable. Emotional temperamental and unpredictable. Moody and easily hurt. Witty and sparkly. Not revengeful. Forgiving but never forgets. Dislikes nonsensical and unnecessary things. Guides others physically and mentally. Sensitive and forms impressions carefully. Caring and loving. Treats others equally. Strong sense of sympathy. Wary and sharp. Judges people through observations. Hardworking. No difficulties in studying. Loves tobe alone. Always broods about the past and the old friends. Likes to be quiet. Homely person. Waits for friends. Never looks for friends. Not aggressive unless provoked. Prone to having stomach and dieting problems. Loves to be loved. Easily hurt but takes long to recover.
AUGUST: Loves to joke. Attractive. Suave and caring. Brave and fearless. Firm and has leadership qualities. Knows how to console others. Too generous and egoistic. Takes high pride in oneself. Thirsty for praises. Extraordinary spirit. Easily angered. Angry when provoked. Easily jealous. Observant. Careful and cautious. Thinks quickly. Independent thoughts. Loves to lead and to be led. Loves to dream. Talented in the arts, music and defense. Sensitive but not petty. Poor resistance against illnesses. Learns to relax. Hasty and trusty. Romantic. Loving and caring. Loves to make friends.
SEPTEMBER: Suave and compromising. Careful, cautious and organized. Likes to point out people's mistakes. Likes to criticize. Stubborn. Quiet but able to talk well. Calm and cool. Kind and sympathetic. Concerned and detailed. Loyal but not always honest. Does work well. Very confident. Sensitive. Good memory. Clever and knowledgeable. Loves to look for information. Must control oneself when criticizing. Able to motivate oneself. Understanding. Fun to be around. Secretive. Loves leisure and traveling. Hardly shows emotions. Tends to bottle up feelings. Very choosy, especially in relationships. Systematic.
OCTOBER: Loves to chat. Loves those who loves them. Loves to take things at the center. Inner and physical beauty. Lies but doesn't pretend. Gets angry often. Treats friends importantly. Always making friends. Easily hurt but recovers easily. Daydreamer. Opinionated. Does not care of what others think. Emotional. Decisive. Strong clairvoyance. Loves to travel, the arts and literature. Touchy and easily jealous. Concerned. Loves outdoors. Just and fair. Spendthrift. Easily influenced. Easily loses confidence. Loves children.
NOVEMBER: Has a lot of ideas. Difficult to fathom. Thinks forward. Unique and brilliant. Extraordinary ideas. Sharp thinking. Fine and strong clairvoyance. Can become good doctors. Dynamic in personality. Secretive. Inquisitive. Knows how to dig secrets. Always thinking. Less talkative but amiable. Brave and generous. Patient. Stubborn and hard-hearted. If there is a will, there is a way. Determined. Never give up. Hardly becomes angry unless provoked. Loves to be alone. Thinks differently from others. Sharp-minded. Motivates oneself. Does not appreciate praises. High-spirited. Well-built and tough. Deep love and emotions. Romantic. Uncertain in relationships. Homely. Hardworking. High abilities. Trustworthy. Honest and keeps secrets. Not able to control emotions. Unpredictable.
DECEMBER: Loyal and generous. Sexy. Patriotic. Active in games and interactions. Impatient and hasty. Ambitious. Influential in organizations. Fun to be with. Loves to socialize. Loves praises. Loves attention. Loves to be loved. Honest and trustworthy. Not pretending. Short tempered. Changing personality. Not egoistic. Take high pride in oneself. Hates restrictions. Loves to joke. Good sense of humor. Logical.

To All the "Invisible Moms" Out There

I got this an email from my friend Sharon..  It's beautiful, and I wanted to share it with all of you.. 

I'm Invisible.

 

Author unknown

 

It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response,

the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and

ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, "Can't you see I'm on the

phone?"   Obviously not. No one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or

sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all. I'm invisible.

 

Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this?

Can you tie this? Can you open this? Some days I'm not a pair of

hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, "What time is

it?"

 

I'm a satellite guide to answer, "What number is the Disney Channel?"

 

I'm a car to order, "Right around 5:30, please."

 

I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the

eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude -

but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seenagain. She's going.... she's going ... she's gone!

 

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a

friend from England. Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous

trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard

not to compare and feel sorry for myself as I looked down at my out-of-style dress; it was the only thing I could find that was clean.

 

My unwashed hair was pulled up in a clip and I was afraid I could

actually smell peanut butter in it. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice

turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, "I brought you

this."

 

It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe. I wasn't exactly

sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription: "To Charlotte, with

admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees."

 

In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would

discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after

which I could pattern my work:

 

1) No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record

of their names.

 

(2) These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never

see finished.

 

(3) They made great sacrifices and expected no credit.

 

(4) The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the

eyes of God saw everything.

 

A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit

the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving

a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the

man, "Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam

that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it." And the

workman replied, "Because God sees."

I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, "I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you

make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness

you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is

too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great

cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become."

 

At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a

disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my

own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride.

 

I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As

one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see

finished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The

writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could

ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing

to sacrifice to that degree.

 

When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend

he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, "My mom gets up at 4 in

the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a

turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table."

That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just

want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to

say to his friend, to add, "You're gonna love it there."

 

As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if

we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world

will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that

has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.

                   

                    

Sunday, Sunday...

Good Morning...

I was able to put the following video up, but for some reason AOL won't let me post any graphics.. ??  Oh well..

It's Sunday..  It's been a nice weekend so far..

  Friday night we went out with a few friends to dinner and to the annual 80's dance my radio stations holds each year.  Yep, I dressed up 80's style again, but I did not bring the camera.  Wish I did though.  It was held at a really nice part of San Jose, at the Valencia Hotel located on Santana Row: $350 a night?!?  Well, it was a nice hotel, with a lot of mirrors--even the toilets had these huge mirrors behind the toilet.  It was kind of odd.  There were also a lot of fountains in a really beautiful courtyard next to this really ritzy bar with iron curtains..  Yes, I wish I had my camera..  Next time. 

The music was a bit loud-especially when the live band came to play (serious signs that I must be getting old, I know..)  but we danced a while.  There was a fashion show held there earlier, and we spotted what we thought was a model come in with her date to the dance.  Upon viewing her 9 inch heels.. (no I am not exaggerating--they were the biggest heels I've ever witnessed in my life) I had doubts of whether this model was actually a woman.  Then I noticed her little butt, and no hips.  Upon further investigation between myself and Angela, we were brought to the conclusion that his woman was really a man.  Her back was turned the whole time, but once we got sight of her hands and manly face, it was obvious.  I will say however, he/she had a very nice wig on; it inspired me. 

I'm contemplating on what to do with my hair.  It's long, and heavy, and I can't do a thing with it.  The he/she guy's wig had bangs--very chic I hear nowadays.  According to my cousins, the Cleopatra look with bangs is now the IN cut in Europe.  I dunno..  I really detest bangs.  I need to find a new look for my hair.  After viewing the photographs I took this summer (all 750 of them) I've come to the conclusion that I NEED to do something with my hair.  It's TOO long!  Any suggestions?  I refuse to get it cut too short; may that is the problem. 

Saturday morning I took a test for yet another job.  This job is basically what I do now, but the main difference it's in law enforcement where I would booking and fingerprinting and photographing criminals possibly.  Exciting stuff, huh?  I have to fill out a 24 page background investigation as well, and a polygraph test done. 

Here is another video..  I hope you all have a wonderful Sunday!  Take care!

Just For Fun!

I did these real fast at www.photobucket.com just for fun..  I hope you can see it!  (You can see me straight up my nose as well..exciting I know.)

 

It's my daughter and I in the trees, and the little guy.  You've seen these before..

 

 

As for these women, I don't know them.  I've never seen them before in my life. 

(It's my mom, and my favorite aunt--Aidinha.)

Thankful Thursday

Is it Thursday, already?? 

More like, should it be Friday already?! 

Whew...  It's been a long ass haul week!

I am feeling better, and my voice has come back, but I still have that runny nose problem, and this morning I woke up to find more "gook" at the corner of my eye.  How I hate that! 

Sorry for all the entries of the slide show--I had to delete them because they weren't coming up the way I wanted.  Sorry, again!  I have more, but I'll post them at another time.  At the moment I am attempting to do a MovieMaker "Masterpiece" to send to the relatives with music attached.  My son Andrew is going to help me with us, because in his own words, he is a "professional" in Moviemaker. 

I have all my pictures downloaded but I get the developed as well, because I am a picture person.  I need to put pictures in photo albums, and I like to frame them and put them on display.  I have over 750 pictures from this summer.  Wheww..  I am going to need to buy another album I guess, perhaps two.  There are a few pictures that I intend to frame and hang on the wall as well. 

Hopefully I'll have my movies and pictures in order by Christmas. 

Anyways, here are some thankful mentions for Thankful Thursday:

1.  I am thankful that I have a heavy duty sized washer AND dryer.  While in the Azores I had to make do with a very small washing machine and no dryer.  Hanging clothes out to dry can be fun, and very energy efficient, BUT, I HATE ironing clothes, and I'm terrible with an iron.

2.  I am thankful we don't have an ant problem.  I HATE ants.  I hate seeing them in the kitchen especially.  You will learn to know why soon, hopefully in my next installment.

3.  I am thankful that I am back in the loving arms of my husband.  Being away for three weeks without him around really sucked. I had fun, don't get me wrong, but I would have had more fun if he was there. 

4.  I am thankful that I have close and loving relatives.  Sure, most of them live like thousands of miles away, but they still do exist.  Will I wait another 8 years to see them again?  NO way, Jose! 

5.  I am thankful I have my health and a home filled with sometimes unruly, but angelic children.  If they weren't healthy they would be less unruly.  We have teeangers and a toddler--Thank God for all of them. 

6.  Lastly, I am thankful for my king-sized bed, and chocolate. 

 

My Interview With Cin :)

Hello--

After attempting to do a small re-mix view at photobucket for most of the day, my eyes are seeing double.  I attempted, but after several attempts, I've come to terms of my acceptance to failure.  Just when I thought I was doing it right, I was getting pictures from my "bucket" that weren't even mine.  It was very bizarre.  I may try it again at  home; or I may not...  My eyes and my patience are not in the mood to try again.  I also tried to burn a disc of all my pictures, but..I simply have too many of them to fit on a disc.  I going to put it on the "back burner" and attempt it later when I have the patience, time and energy..not today.

Instead, here is my interview with Cin!  If you want me to interview YOU, leave a comment "Interview Me" and I will send you 5 questions for you to answer. 

1.  How did you get the Rabbit nickname and how many rabbits are there in your house (I know Nicholas carries one around)? 

Oh wow..  Well..  The rabbit nickname, "Coelha" was given to me years ago, way back in 1979/1980.  My mother's cousins were visiting from the Azores and living in our home for a short time around Easter.  These relatives included a boy who was close to my age; his name is Jose Carlos.  Well, to make a long story short, it was Easter time, and I wanted him to believe in the Easter Bunny.  In Portugal, he never heard about the Easter Bunny, and I felt that he had been deprived for many years without knowing about this famous American Icon, AKA: Easter Bunny.  So, it was my mission to make him believe. 

During Easter dinner, I excused myself from the table, and ran back to the back door where a basket full of Easter candy was hiding.  I took the basket, and tiptoed past the dining room window with the basket.  I went to the front door, rang the doorbell a few times, and hurried off back into the house through the back door.  Of course, my cousin Jose Carlos answered the door, and to his delight found the Easter basket full of treats. 

Of course everyone knew it was me who left the basket, but for a moment Jose Carlos was a true believer.  To this day, family and relatives refer to Jose Carlos as "Coelho" and of course, I'm "Coelha".  We were teased quite a bit as teenagers about the names, but it never bothered us, as far I know; although I refrain calling him by that name in front of his wife and daughter.  When I started my AOL account, years ago-I wanted to use an original screen name, and to my delight, I discovered that Coelha was never used--I've held it since 1997.  

As for rabbits at my house, I hold a very large collection of stuffed bunnies at home as well as work.  They call me the "bunny woman" at work.  I'm not too crazy about that, but, looking around my office, I can see why they would call me that.  I've got about 10 rabbit related items in my office, 11 if you count the picture of my cousin.  At home, I have a good 25 stuffed bunnies.  My birthday is in April, and I've always gotten stuffed bunnies for gifts just because Easter is always around that time of year.  I also was married during the Easter weekend!  :B 

2.  How did you meet your husband?

Whoa..  Another long answer for this one.  Which husband?  Okay, I'm going with the 2nd:  Well, I met him by chance really.  I had gone to this get together from a chatroom mainly because I knew someone I used to date would be there, and I wanted  him to squirm when he saw me show up unexpectedly.  I went with a friend of mine who had met some person at this get together who she "hit off" with right away.  It was at a bar/club at a hotel, and the atmosphere was a little too much; seeing the ex-boyfriend was making me nauseous, and I was sick of seeing him squirm, so I decided to step outside and get some fresh air.  Out of nowhere comes my future husband, with a sweet, "hello".  We spoke for a bit, and then I went back inside the bar to look for my friend.  It was getting late, and I couldn't find her anywhere, and I had to find her because I was her ride home.  I went back outside, and there the future husband was waiting for me.  I asked him if could help me find her, and sure enough, like a true gentlemen, he obliged.  Upon finding my friend, necking some stranger in the hotel lobby sofa, we spent the rest of the evening getting to know each other over coffee, and watching T.V. at the hotel.  We exchanged phone numbers, and then we kissed goodnight.  He called me the next day telling me that he "was different than all the others."  He was right. 

3.  What is your favorite straight-from-the Azores recipe? 

I don't make it, but I ate quite a bit of it when I was there this summer.  The answer is: ALCATRA!!  Here's a link to the recipe:  http://www.recipezaar.com/106316

Oh it tastes so good with sweet bread...yummy!!! 

4.  Where did you honeymoon and where would you like your next honeymoon (with the same wonderful husband, of course!) to be?

Our honeymoon was in beautiful Monterey, California.  We went back again last April, and I hope we can get away for the weekend again next year.  I would love to spend a future honeymoon on a cruise...to anywhere. 

5.  Have you/do you ever sneak your own snacks into the movie theatre?

Of course!  I have the kids smuggle treats in all the time!! 

Fairyland Forest

                                  

           Yes, it's me.  What can I say?  I'm a tree hugger and lover of all that is green. 

Summers on the island are just not complete without a family picnic/barbecue!  This summer, the crew headed to the lovely and green lush part of the island known as "Serreta."  It is beautiful there, and my daughter and I went a little crazy in the wilderness.  Yes, we felt like fairies.  Of course our relatives pretended they didn't know us while we were taking these photos.  Who could blame them, really...I know.. 

                        

It's hard not to fall in love with all the greenery.  It's even more breathtaking in person than in pictures.  Although we took these pictures to be silly, they are still some of my favorites that I took this summer. 

                                         

It's simply a magical place on the island for me.  It reminds me of those forests you read about in fairytales, from Hansel and Gretel, or Little Red Riding Hood.  It shouldn't have been no surprise that Lizzy and Nicholas stumbled upon the house of Bob the Gnome as well!                   

               

Who is Bob the Gnome?  Okay, let me fill you in quickly on Bob.  Bob is a plastic gnome figurine that sits on a swing hanging on a tree in our backyard.  At night, Bob gets off the swing, and knocks on the door when Nicholas does not behave at night.  Believe me, Bob must have snuck into someone's luggage and followed us all the way to the Azores.  Yes, Bob is everywhere and sees everything, and gets "mad" when Nicholas throws a tantrum. 

To Nicholas' astonishment, we came across what seemed to be a little house made of stone, with a green door just Bob's size!   Yes, Bob is everywhere! 

                     

                  Nicholas bravely knocks on Bob's door, but there was no answer. 

                        

More tomorrow.. 

                       

Flying Off To The Friendly Skies...

Today, I'm feeling and sounding a tad better than I have in a week.  My voice is finally coming back.  You'd think I was having a wild time on the island--I had fun, but no late night screaming and dancing under the moon at midnight.  Wait..  I take that back--I did that once... :) 

Anyway, I am able to share some pictures with you today.

The hardest part about leaving Oakland of course was saying goodbye to the husband.  I knew I would be missing him, but I don't think it really hit him until we said our goodbyes.  He could not wait with us at the gate, so we had to say our goodbyes in front of the security man, after we checked in our bags in front of security.  I don't want to do that again any time soon. 

After we said tearful goodbyes, we proceeded down to security where we were instructed by many Asian women dressed in what appeared to be traffic guard uniforms to take off our shoes and put them in the provided baskets, along with our belts, jackets and carry-ons..etc..  I could not understand one word they were saying, and I could sense they were becoming frustrated with me because of this.  "Jacket in biscuit..jacket in biscuit.."  There was one of them that was particularly nasty.  One of the others apologized for her.  Some people just get to much into their jobs it seems.  Give some people a crossing guard vest, a plastic badge, and they think they are all that and a bag of chips! Of course, my family was the one who they chose to search while others just walked pass through in their socks. 

It never ceases to amaze me WHY the mother of 3 always seems to be the target of alleged terrorist activity. Do they really think I'm hiding a weapon in my 3 year old's Finding Nemo's backpack?  Only crayons, coloring books, and travel games.  One major benefit with traveling with children under 4 however, is they will allow you on the plane before anyone else.  We experienced great joy when we proceeded to move up in front of the line before the very long line.  Of course we heard some rude comments of why we got to go first behind the handicapped guy in the wheelchair, but who cares.  Rude people, unfortunately, rule the planet.

My three gangster kids at the gate waiting for the plane to come in.  Destination:  Terceira, Azores.

Nicholas held his stuffed bunny, who he calls affectionately, "Bunny" during his whole trip.  His "Bunny" and his box of Dots were constantly by his side.

My first major concern, before embarking on my trip, besides the passport dilemma of course, was how Nicholas would behave in the plane.  I would hear constant news reports of people delaying their trips because of passport delays, and unruly children getting kicked off of planes.  Wonderful I thought.  My concerns and unneeded stress proved to be unjustified.  Nicholas was a perfect angel on the plane.  I did not have to resort to giving him cold medicine either as was previously suggested.

My two boys sleeping on the plane.  My daughter and I barely slept a wink.  Notice the old woman behind my daughter wearing the hat.  That woman wore that crocheted hat the entire time of the trip.  Strange woman.  There were other strange people (passengers) lurking around the aisles that made it impossible for me to sleep.  They showed two movies, but I didn't really hear it because my ear phones were not working and there was this most irritating woman standing above me who had the most obnoxious chicken sounding voice, talking to the woman in front of me.  I could not help but over hear what she was saying.  After 10 minutes of her conversation, I could tell this woman was not "well".  I concluded that she had some compulsive disorder of some kind--she just went on and on and on talking about different unrelated stuff about various people. First she spoke about her daughter, then the neighbors, then her new car, her husband's shoes, the cat she left behind...etc..etc..  I started to give her the evil stare, but she it went unnoticed.  Nope, I didn't sleep a wink of all 10 hours of the flight. 

The flight was smooth--hardly any turbulence whatsoever. Of course the kids were getting a little restless after awhile; especially after our one stop in Hamilton, Canada.  Where is Hamilton, Canada, you ask?  Good question.  I asked my Canadian relatives and even they didn't have an idea.  Apparently it's really close to Ontario, right above New York and past the Great Lakes. 

Well, the plane stopped there to get the toilets cleaned by two very strange looking  individuals wearing the same traffic guard looking outfits the Asian women were wearing at the airport in Oakland, California.  They passed through the plane with their bright yellow vests and matching rubber gloves with toilet cleansers and plungers.  I noticed other passengers on the plane thought them strange, and we both exchanged looks and couldn't stop laughing. 

Overall, the flight experience to the Azores was rather enjoyable.  The food wasn't too bad, and they did offer little mini wine bottles at dinner.  The stewards all spoke Portuguese (I flew on a Portuguese airline-SATA, sister of TAP, Azores Express) and they were very polite and attentive.  Most of them were men.  One of them called my daughter, "Princesa" (Princess).  One in particular looked like a Portuguese version of David Hasselhoff.  Lizzy found this very entertaining, especially when the guy accidently dropped some garbage in front of my seat.  She said he did this on purpose so I could see him as he bent over to pick up the cup.  According to her, he was giving me the "eye".  Yes, he was after me, no doubt-I'm so sure. 

"Cha.."  (Tea)

"Cafe.."  (Coffee) 

Up and down the aisle the stewards would go asking if we wanted tea or coffee.  It must drive them crazy doing that for hours non-stop.  They didn't walk slowly either--they always seemed as if they were dying to get to the other side of the plane to use the toilets.

We landed in the late afternoon on the island.  Everyone clapped, even Nicholas.  It was all very surreal.  I couldn't believe I was there.  After a walk down from the plane, we were greeted by a shuttle, that we all piled into.  The shuttle did not have enough seats, so a lot of us had to stand up and hold a hand rail or grip.  Not fun.  Nicholas held on to my leg.  Afterwards, back into another line where we were waited like cattle to through customs.  Of course when I got there, I had to explain why two of my children had a different last name than myself and my other child, but other than that, no missing luggage.

We were greeted at the airport by my mom and a bunch of cousins.  More tears-but tears of joy of hellos..  Very surreal.

 

Cousins in my mom's kitchen.  Lizzy and Andrew are in the background.  I look at this picture, and I just sigh.  Yeah, I miss them.  :(

My cousin Manny even brought over a cake! 

More later..

I owe, I owe...So Off To Work I Go.....

Please forgive me..

I haven't posted quite anything since I've been back.  I've been feeling quite sluggish lately, and I am still fighting off a cold that I got during my trip. My voice is still somewhat hoarse, and I am still quite stuffy.  In other words, I sound like an alcoholic who smokes two packs of Marlboro each day.  It's not a pretty voice--no matter how "sexy" it might sound to the clients in the lobby.  I sound like one of them, so they like it.  

Anyway, I have tons and tons to write about, but I haven't posted my pictures up yet.  Last Saturday I was at a wedding, Sunday I left home for the states, and Monday morning I was at another wedding.  Both weddings were beautiful and very special.  I will share pictures of both as well. 

I did manage to wash all the vacation clothes, and get the luggage packed away.  The boys are now in school, as well as my youngest who is already attending preschool in the afternoons.  He is no longer living on Portuguese time and not waking up at 2 and 3 am in the morning like he did the Monday and Tuesday.  Things are getting back to the norm, and although I'm still feeling sickly, it is so nice to be back with the husband..  :)  My daughter is still on vacation mode since her college courses don't start until the end of the month.  She misses staying up until 3 or 4 am in the morning with her cousins, and new found friends and wishes she had stayed on the island a little longer.  NOTHING is open for a 19 year old past midnight around here--which is a good thing, but of course a bit of a let down for her. 

Hopefully by this weekend I will be able to post some pictures up--I have two memory cards full.

"Nao tems outras coisas para fizer?  E so tirar fotos?"  (Do you have anything other to do besides taking pictures?)  My cousin asked.

"No, I don't."  was my reply.

I went crazy with the camera this summer.  Some of the photos I will ask permission to use from the cousins... HA HA HA HA..  Scandalous I tell you.

I got a call from some of them the other day.  It's past 10 pm and they off to "Make Me Nuts" in hopes to get some donuts.  Make Me Nuts is a restaurant we used to frequent on the island; more on that later.  How I miss those crazy people; I love them all.  More later..  :)

 

I'm back...

                                 

Just a quick entry to let you all know that I'm back home, safe and sound with all the children, and in the loving arms of my hubby man, who I have missed so much for the last three weeks. 

The trip to the Azores was wonderful-full of great memories spent with so many family..  I left cousins that I consider to be more like sisters and brothers.  I don't think I am going to wait another 8 years to see them all again--no way.  Next time however, hubby man is going to have to go with me. 

I am a little burn't out from taking care of my three year old the last three weeks.  I did have help, but I really do think my trip would have been more enjoyable if husband was around--next time.  Props to all the single moms out there--was there, been there-but this time was only a temporary situation, but I was reminded quite constantly how it sucks being alone. 

Anyways, I have many stories to share with all, as well as pictures, but it's too early in the morning, and I'm feeling quite exhausted.  I have another wedding to go to later this morning.  The really reason why I'm up at the moment is because I had some clothes for the boys to wash from Saturday's wedding, and Nicholas is on "Portugal time."  I hope all is well out there in Jland, and I will try to catch up with my alerts as much as I can later in the week..  :) 

It's so good to be home..