Thursday Thank You's

Late yesterday evening, and early this morning I got two "thank you" emails, one from Ruben, and one from Tania's father--my cousin Manny.  Both of them went on and on thanking me for letting Tania stay at my house.  All I can say, is, I was touched and flattered, but family is family!! Of course I wanted her to stay at my home!  That goes without saying--that is what family is for, right?  Well, it was nice to get the emails, and I was really touched when my cousin, Manny told me that Tania started crying on the phone when she read my email...  Poor Tania...  We are such an emotional lot of folks, aren't we?  Yesterday I got a little teary eyed myself when I was unloading the dishes from the dishwasher.  All I could think about was, "Gee, last night we were all eating from these dishes, and now she is gone.."  Then I see the thank you note Tania left in my kitchen.."Thanks for everything!  I love you guys!  Love, Tania." It's weird how one can be at one place at one time, and then suddenly thousands of miles away the next..  Tania arrived at 3:15 am in Lisbon, my time this morning.  It's bizarre--like, Star Trek bizarre---"beam me up, Scotty" bizarre. 

Anyway, I snagged the following survey from : 

Emily.

I'm just feeling lazy---nothing really to report, and I'm busy with work and writing up lists of what I need for my daughter's birthday party Saturday.  Enjoy, and consider yourself TAGGED! 

1. A month before it happens,you're told you're going to lose your memory so how do you prepare for it and do you attempt to regain what you've lost?

OH damn...  I would write in my journal my life story---and of course include photos.  Hopefully, I would try to approach this in a positive way-and let it be a chance to re-think  where my life has taken me so far, and hopefully inspire me to do other things in my life.  However, the thought of losing my memory is a scary thought!

2. How do you describe your out look on life?

I live my life optimistically.  I'm always looking for the good  in all situations, and people.  I try to stay away from negative people.  I don't understand rude/obnoxious/jealous people---they are a sad lot, and it's best for me to stay clear away.  Positive things happen to positive people, and I've realized that negative people don't like me very much. 

3. You fall in love with your soulmate,decide to get married and then find out that person is going to die soon,do you marry them anyway?

Yes!  True love is hard to find.  Love is a gift to be cherished, even if it's only for a short time.  I'm a romantic, yes. 

4. What are three of your favorite ice cream toppings?

Hot fudge, peanuts and hot caramel...it's like Snickers Bar..yummy!

5. Is there one article of clothing you love to wear no matter how out of style it is?

Pajama pants!!!  I don't think they will never go out of style, but I don't wear them out to public--just around the house.

6. Is there one color you wish would go away in fashion? 

I love the color red--but please, the world can go on without RED PANTS!! 

7. What's the first department you head to when you go shopping in a department store?

It depends who I'm with.  If I'm with my daughter, it's the Junior's clothing section.  If I'm with my son, it's the electronic department.  If I'm alone---hmmm...good thought..  Gee, I don't remember shopping alone!

8. How far away do you live from your parents?

It's a 40 minute drive from my house to my mom's...but, I work only 10 minutes away, so I see my mom almost everyday.  If I don't call her on the weekends, she gets mad. 

 9. Growing up who was your favorite cartoon character? 

Gee, I don't know.. Bugs Bunny? Casper the Friendly Ghost..  I liked Rocky Squirrel and Bullwinkle too.. 

10. You plan a romantic evening and everything goes wrong,including the fancy dinner you made burning,what do you do?  

Tell hubby, "Let's go out!" 

11. What's the last thing you bought at the store?

Paper Chinese lanterns, and long toothpicks with cute colorful pin wheels at the ends---for my daughter's birthday Saturday.

12. Have you ever walked out in the middle of a movie?

Yes, when my son Andrew started crying in the  middle of 102 Dalmations---years ago.  I haven't attempted to take my 2 yr old to a movie yet. 

13. What celebrity do most people say you look like?

Oh gee..  This is funny..when I was younger, Valerie Bertinelli.  I've also had people say I look like Christina Ricci?!  and, my kids think I look like Kristie Alley?!  Most people say I look like my mom.  She isn't a celebrity though, but people say she looked like Jackie O...so that is good. :) 

14. Is there any piece of jewelry you always wear?

My wedding ring!

15. Have you ever tried to pick someone up?

At a bar?  You mean, like, a date?  Fortunately, I never had to do that.   I've seen girlfriends do it, and it sometimes is painful to watch.

16. What's the one thing you always manage to lose on your way out the door?

Sunglasses, or my keys...or I forget to put diapers in the diaper bag---I hate that. 

17. Out of these creatures which one are you most afraid of:

A.) Snakes

B.) Spiders

C.) Rodents

Snakes!  Rodents a close 2nd.  I'm not afraid of spiders.  I'm the official "Spider Smoosher" of the house. 

18. What's the last gift you bought for a friend?

Ooh..a picture frame with a picture of my cousin and her boyfriend inside--which causes a burst of tears, a fairy print, Pina Colada & Strawberry Margarita moisturizer from Bath and Body, CD with pictures, and a whole tube of Sweet & Light lemonade.

19. Do you ever buy people things for no reason?

Usually I have a reason, but if there is sale on baby clothes, I'm there. 

20. What's your favorite way to spend a lazy summer afternoon?

On the beach with the kids---a nice long walk at the ocean, or just laying there on the sand watching the kids play in the waves..

Goodbye, Cuz'

Today, my teary eyed cousin, Tania is leaving on a jet plane back to Lisbon.  I can't believe that she has been here a month already...time flies when you have fun, and she did have a fun time.  It's hard not to feel sad right now...  I gave her a gift bag of "lembrancas" (translated--souviners--memories) of her visit.  The one thing I spent the less money on she loved the most--a hot pink picture frame with a picture of her and her boyfriend, Ruben inside.  When she saw it she burst into tears, which caused me and my daughter to get teary eyed.

 

It really is hard when the people you love live so faraway! 

 

It doesn't help when you have James Blunt on the radio singing, "Beautiful", and "Goodbye Lover....Goodbye."  His voice went on twice on the radio this weekend while I was driving her home from my mother's house. 

 

"Please, Julie, change the channel before I start crying!"  Tania exclaimed, half jokingly, and have serious. 

 

I just hope those songs don't come up again on the radio when Ruben drives her up SFO Int'l. Airport.  I am so glad I'm not there right now.  If I see them say goodbye, I will start balling again!  It's like watching a very sad movie...  Blame it on our over emotional Portuguese sentimental make-up; I don't know what it is, but it can be pretty intense sometimes... 

 

Anyways, we'll miss her little dainty feet, her gelled up hair, and her eyeliner eyes; but most of all, her beautiful heart and spirit--it will be surely missed.  Ruben won't be hanging around here as often, but I have a feeling we will see more of him in the future. 

I can almost hear wedding bells... 

 

Have a safe trip back home Tania!  May angels follow you through the friendly skies, and may you trip be safe.  We miss you already! 

 

 

Santa Cruz, My Weird Hometown

                                      

I live in San Jose, California, a city known for many things, but perhaps best known as the Silicon Valley.  It's the city Dionne Warwick made famous when she sang that 70's hit:  "Do You Know The Way To San Jose?"  I've fairly new to this town, so I'm going to devote this entry this time to my hometown, of Santa Cruz, California. 

Santa Cruz is a very interesting place.  It's about a 40 minute drive from San Jose, and I do the commute there almost everyday on windy Hwy 17 for work each morning.  I guess you can say that I still live half of my life there.  Santa Cruz is a beautiful beachtown surrounded by majestic redwoods.  It's not only known for it's pretty coastline and beaches and famous Santa Cruz Boardwalk, but also for it's liberal political, anti-commericalism, socially conscious views, and it's street performers. 

Yes, above is a real saying:  KEEP SANTA CRUZ WEIRD.... 

Growing up, I remember my father driving us to downtown Santa Cruz every Sunday after church.  "Let's take a drive down Hippyville!"  he would say.  There we would see many street performers, often dressed in bright colors, with flowers in their hair, singing and dancing in front of the very famous Cooper House with tamborines.  There was also a weird thing to see out there, and whenever a out of town guest would visit, my father would make a point of taking them downtown so they could see the "Hippies."  Our guests always left impressed, surprised, and shocked at times of what they saw. 

  <---Cooper House

Today, Santa Cruz hasn't changed much.  The Cooper House was a victim of the 1989 quake, and it no longer is standing there, but the energy of the place is still there.  I recently took my cousin Tania (who is here visiting from Portugal) and I took her on a stroll through the open air mall so she could experience the REAL Santa Cruz--that and a big ice cream sundae at the famous Marini's.  Let's just say she saw some weird people, but left very impressed.  "You are right, Julie.  This place is weird, but I love it!"

Me too, Tania, me too! 

San Francisco

Okay, it's a quarter to 11pm, and I finally got these pictures onto the computer... 

Damn...I'm tierd..  Well anyways, last Saturday was an adventure...

After getting a little lost following the instructions I had printed out the night previous from Mapquest, I finally made my way to Pier 39, where I parked the van in a very low ceiling parking structure.  It was a Saturday, and of course, I ended up on the very top floor of the structure.  I really didn't mind.  I much prefer parking on top, then parking in those really low ceiling clastrophoic, and dark parking places.  I always feel like the walls are going to tumble down on me in there, and being in San Francisco in itself, and constantly reminding myself of all all the predictions of the next "BIG ONE"  (earthquake) I was quite content parking at the very top, which had a beautiful view of the city's skyline. 

It was a very busy day at Pier 39...  Lots of people, walking on the Pier, speaking an many different languages..  I love being in places like those.  I don't know why.  May be that is why I love being in airports..  I don't know.  Of course, it's always fun to be with people who has never experienced being in a certain area, and you get to share the whole experience, and learn to see things differently, in other way.  Tania was thrilled.  She had always heard about, and dreamed of being in San Francisco one day, and there she was!  

We decided to go to Bubba Gumps for lunch.  I have this thing for Forrest Gump.  It really is a long story, and I'm not going to go into it right now.  There was a long wait for a table of course.  I don't know how I did it, but I somehow got us all a table in a matter of minutes...and I wasn't even being annoying or obnoxious.  I guess I was just at the right place at the right time.  We were greeted by who else, Forrest as we got to our booth.  Wow, I thought...  It just doesn't get better than this...  But, it does..  I got to actually sit on the bench with the guy.  Of course, this guy was no Tom Hanks, but he was better than nothing...

One place that Tania really wanted to go was Chinatown.  I had the idea of taking a cablecar to the place, but after seeing a hour long wait to get into a packed cablecar, the thought of getting in one of them with a stroller and a 2 yr old after a 1 hour wait, did not sound appealing, so we walked from Ghiridelli Square all the way to Chinatown. 

Do you know there are TWO Chinatowns?

Yeah, there is.  And the cablecar man was wrong.  It wasn't 8 blocks from Fisherman's Wharf..more like 16 blocks.  We found the REAL Chinatown first.  The sidewalks were packed, and busy, full of activity....perhaps too much for all of us.  We nearly had to plow ourselves through with the stroller to walk by.  I'm not a fan of Chinese food, and regretably, I hate to say it, but the smell of dried sea horses, mushrooms, and dried fish heads have not made more of a fan of Chinese cuisine. 

We then walked through a tunnel that must have been 1/4 of a mile long (a little scary with the cars whizzing by only a few feet away from our feet).  This tunnel took us to the financial/shopping district, but making a left we found the "touristy" Chinatown.  By the time we got there, the "thrill" was gone.  Yes, there were some really pretty stores full of large, oversized chandeliers, and greek statues...  Lost of souviner shops, and brass "crickets"... 

Once we got out of Chinatown, we ran into the Italian side of town.  I wish we weren't so tierd, because that side of town, was full of cute and chic, trendy little Italian restaurants, with a lot of tall (yes, tall) Italian men speaking all gangster..  I felt like I was on the street set of the Sopranos...  Very cool..  I want to go back there one day. 

I think by the time we reached our car, we must have each walked at least 5 miles that day.  The only one not complaining of the wind and tierd feet, was of course Nicholas who enjoyed being in the stroller, being carted by Ruben.  I was worried about how he was going to be on this adventure, and he of course, acted like the perfect angel.  Two year olds are so unpreditable.  Poor thing was overdue for a diaper change, but after a new change of diaper and clothes, he was ready for another adventure.  I was thrilled that I only had to pay $18 for parking! 

So, off we went out to the Golden Bridge.  Once the grand structure came into sight, Tania was in complete awe.  It was cute to see how excited she was to be on this bridge, and once we got out of the car, despite the freezing cold, we had a lot of fun taking pictures out there on the observation point.  Afterwards we drove down to Sausalito----(beautiful city, right at the water......I wish I had taken pictures of the coastline....beautiful city....did I say that already?  We finally found a parking space near a small coffee shop, so we stopped there where Ruben treated us all with hot chocolate and crumb cake and brownies.  The girl behind the counter boasted that the crumb cake was voted best "crumb cake of the west coast" so we had to try it.  It was okay..nothing special...though. 

We made our way out of the city around 8pm...  It was a truly a nice day of adventure.

I'm really tierd now..it's a quarter past 11...  I'm beat...

I WAS CALLER 9!!!!!!!!!!

                                                    

As previously written...  I'm trying to win a cruise here at work by listening to this easy listening radio station (it's the only one I can get that isn't Spanish in this crappy building). 

Guess what??  I made it to caller 9!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

YIPPPEEE!!!!  (If you sent me luck, and didn't tell me---thank you, and I love you.) 

So, Rich...  If I win this cruise to Mexico, it's you and me..NO ONE ELSE!!!   We'll hire a nanny if we need to!!!  YIPPPPEEE!!! 

         

 

-----#9 is a magic number

Wednesday Funney

It's Wednesday--yeah!!  (It's my Friday today--whoohhooooo!!!)  Anyway, I hope to accomplish a few things tomorrow, like for instance wash my car.  There is so much bird poop on it, I'm embarrassed to drive it around.  Of course, I couldn't find my sunglasses, so I can really drive in disguise.  I found my old Sheryl Crowe Cd's, and I find it harder to sing in the car without them too.  Is it just me, or do you feel "protected" when you have your sunglasses on like I do?  I just love looking like Jackie O, driving down the highway, singing out loud with the radio turned up high.  Of course, I only do this when the baby is in the car.  Nicholas never complains, and he sings along with me.  Sure, he must think I'm crazy, but I'm hoping in a few years he will forget about it. 

 

At the moment I'm listening to the radio.  I'm trying to win a 11 day cruise to Mexico--wish me luck.  After two songs sung consecutively by the same artist, you have to be caller 9.  I have the radio station phone number on speed dial.  Yesterday I was caller #5..  Please send me luck people!!  Hubby and I DESPERATELY need a REAL vacation!!!  :)  Thanks in advance.. 

 

Well, back to work....  I got the following story in an email from my good friend Sharon---ENJOY!! 

 

Here is a GOOD LAUGH ~!~~!

 Dear Husband:
 
I'm writing you this letter to tell you that I'm leaving you for good. I've been a good woman to you for seven years and I have nothing to show for it. These last two weeks have been hell. Your boss called to tell me that you  had quit your job today and that was the last straw.

 Last week, you came  home and didn't notice that I had gotten my hair and nails done, cooked your favorite meal and even wore a brand new negligee. You came home and ate in  two minutes, and went straight to sleep after watching the game. You don't tell me you love me anymore, you don't touch me or anything.  Either you're cheating, or you don't love me anymore. Whatever the case is, I'm gone!
 
P.S. If you're trying to find me, don't. Your BROTHER and I are moving away to West Virginia together!
 
Have a great life!
 
Your EX-Wife
 
________________________________________________________________________
 
Dear Ex-Wife,
 
Nothing has made my day more than receiving your letter. It's true that you and I have been married for seven years, although a good woman is a far cry from what you've been. I watch sports so much to try to drown out your constant nagging. Too bad that doesn't work. I did notice when you cut off all of your hair last week, the first thing that came to mind was, "You look just like a man!"  My mother raised me to not say anything if you can't say anything nice.
 
When you cooked my favorite meal, you must have gotten me confused with MY BROTHER, because I stopped eating pork seven years ago. I went to sleep on you when you had on that new negligee because the price tag was still on it. I prayed that it was a coincidence that my brother had just borrowed fifty dollars from me that morning and your negligee was $49.99. After all of this, I still loved you and felt that we could work it out.
 
So when I discovered that I had hit the  lotto for ten million dollars, I quit my job and bought us two tickets to Jamaica . But when I got home you were gone. Everything happens for a reason I guess. I hope you have the fulfilling life you always wanted. My lawyer said with your letter that you wrote, you won't get a dime from me. So take care.

 Signed:
 Rich As Hell and Free!

 P.S.  I don't know if I ever told you this, but my brother Carl was born Carla. I hope that's not a problem.

 

                                                           

Hello...

Ha..  I hope I don't offend anyone with this picture...  But, I couldn't resist.  Speaking of underwear, or lack of there, this afternoon in the restroom, I noticed something odd.  The Vanity Fair label on my underwear has a #800 phone number on it!  Wha?  This struck me rather funney.  I now wonder how many calls have been made to that number.  What an awful job position to have... "I answer phones for underwear complaints.."  Lovely. 

Anyways, I've been off a few days, and I'm back to work, and it's been more busy than usual, because I'm still catching up with the work from last Thursday and Friday when I wasn't here.  I'm glad to be busy, but I'm looking forward to this Thursday and Friday because I'm taking those days off too!  It's the last weekend before my son Andrew starts middle school, so I hope to do some more fun things with the kids and with Tania who is still visiting.  Poor thing is leaving next Wednesday..  It will be sad to see her go, and I am already feeling sorry for her because I know she is going to have to say goodbye to her boyfriend...  Oh well..  C'est la vie...

I've had fun showing her around..  We had a fun day San Francisco the other day, and we have been pretty much taken a lot of of silly pictures with her and the kids and Ruben, her boyfriend.  I hope to share them on here, as soon as I can find the time..  There just doesn't seem any right now, and of course, I'm at work and my camera is at home...  I hate that.  Oh well..  

Oh, my daughter is working!!  YIPPPEE!!  She finally got a job!!  She is now working for my  hubby's business as the receptionist.  She'll be starting school full time at the end of September, so at least she can make some good money before that time.  She is not quite 18 yet, and she has been having trouble finding a place that will hire a 17 year old.  It will be a good experience for her, even if she can only work for a short time.  I'm just glad she is making her own spending money!!  Now, I've got to get her driver's permit.  She'll be turning 18 at the beginning of September, so shewon't have to deal with driving school..saved me over $350 bucks anyway... 

OH well, back to work...  I owe, I owe...  Hope to share with  you the pictures of our "wild" adventures.  I met Forrest at Bubba Gumps..  It was so exciting..can't wait to show you those...