Eventually I Figure Things Out

I went to the doctor in September, and listed some symptoms I'd been experiencing. Tests were done, not a lot, just a couple.
Nothing came from that. Doctor suggested I try the "Eat Clean Diet." It would make me feel better. Thanks. I'll just eat some celery and that'll fix everything.

A few months later, I don't feel better. I feel worse. The symptoms have worsened.
In fact the symptoms have gotten downright obnoxious. I get yelled at for my symptoms. Nice, huh?

So I googled.

Google didn't tell me to eat more celery. It said I have hormonal imbalances. It said to try a couple of different supplements.

I'll continue to eat my celery, but I think I'll try those supplements.

Thanks, Dr. Google.

The Leather Jacket

In 1990 I had short, curly hair. It was a perm, or what was left of it I am sure. I had just moved here the summer before from the midwest. I gave away all my winter clothing and jackets.
I was dating Shay's dad, and he gave me a leather jacket for Christmas. Which was good because I was told that I didn't need a jacket at all in Arizona. That turned out to be soooo false.
It does actually get cold here.

Now, the jacket didn't have a smudge on it. That was just the photo. It's rather old. Nearly 20 years old.

Yesterday in Phoenix, I took this picture with Steve and his cousin Sarah:



I was feeling a little weird so I didn't smile too huge. There was some uncomfortable stuff going on. But I still have my leather jacket!!!
The hair is curly on its own now, no perm necessary. Don't know why that is.

The jacket remains.

Not To Be Taken Lightly

Today I was sworn in as the new Republican Women's President. I haven't had much time to give it thought, but it is a bit of a big deal. So that makes me a big deal.
Just kiddin.

I will have better pictures when Doug and Linda email them to me (AHEM! Doug and Linda, if you're reading this...)

But here's what Buster took with my camera:



That's a local judge, Jill Davis, swearing us in at the podium. I'm the big-haired short person next to her. Then the rest of the Republican Women's board is lined up next to me.

Besides the installment of officers, we had a couple of little presentations. Linda (outgoing President) gave me a President's pin. Then Sue (outgoing 1st Vice President) gave Linda a pin. I got choked up and thankfully had time to breathe and get calm. I knew this was a big responsibility being trusted to me and I had to think for a few moments that maybe it would be much better if Linda just stayed President. Then I could keep my spot in the back of the room during the meetings.

Now I've got a gavel. I will only use it when things get roudy. Which means never. Or maybe I'll develop a horrible power complex and use it all the damn time!

The New Office

I was recently banished to the stinky room of the house, for my office. It looked like a dungeon.

The walls were flat white, with scuffs, stains, holes, and marks all over them.



I decided to give the room some flair....



The thunderbird sign is metal with just a little bit of the original paint left on it. Steve used to stand out on the dirt road near his home in NOWHERESVILLE, and this thunderbird was on a pole nearby. Four years ago we visited NOWHERESVILLE and stole the sign. We knew it would have a purpose someday.
I hung it in the office with some chain and hooks. I painted the two walls on that side of the room with brown and caramel, to match two of the colors on the thunderbird.

The two little metal coolers on the floor to the right are my babies. The dark colored one was Steve's family's cooler when they moved back from California to Southern Arizona back in 1967. I have fixed it up a little bit. The other one was a gift from Steve and it is in pristine condition. I figure it's from the 1940's. Who collects coolers? Me.

The curtain rod is actually a couple of metal poles that came off the bed. Steve bought two canopy beds for his daughters when they were "tweens," and the canopies just came down recently. Not very practical in a small bedroom. I glued two of the poles together to make a curtain rod, and then hung it from the ceiling with chains and hooks.

Oh and then there's the shelf. And the shelf decor.



I didn't want just any shelf. I grabbed a board from the garage, painted it, and hung it from the ceiling with, once again, chains and hooks. And then I got my collection of booze bottles. I knew I was saving them for something!!!!
I cleaned them, placed some Christmas lights around them, and there you have it. Decor. Along with the handicapped parking sign from the airport.

I'm thinking about adding an espresso machine and a couch to my office. That will make it the place for people to gather and exchange witty banter. Like on Friends. I get to be Jennifer Aniston!!!!

The Happiest Place on Earth

Recently on a trip to Phoenix I discovered the Ranch Market. I had asked some friends where there'd be a good place to get some different kinds of hot sauce, and they took me there.
The un-politically correct discription would be to call it the big Mexican store. It is the size of a Wal Mart, and it is all Mexican foods, pastries, cheeses, hot sauces, and it has the most glorious meat and seafood section.

So I took Shay and Steve to see this marvel, the happiest place on Earth.

First stop, the chicharrones booth. It's fried pork skin. Ick. But Steve loves that stuff, and we picked out a pound of it from the plexiglass box in the background:



Next stop, the glorious meat counter. Any cut of mammal or fowl can be found here. ANYTHING. So Shay posed in front of the bin full of chicken feet:



Then we spotted this atrocity:



It's a cow head. Fresh!

The ground pork is smiling at us here:



Oh.....the seafood. I've never seen so much wonderful treats. Octopus, tilapia, shrimp, and crab meat all calling to me....



And the fishies!!



We left with a big back of pork skin and some new hot sauces. And fresh guacamole. Ole!

Ring My Bell

What you can't see is the puffy dark green skirt that I'm wearing, along with the fur lined apron. I was Mrs. Claus!!!

It was 40 degrees, and I had to compete with the fundraiser across the sidewalk, the Vietnam Veterans' Raffle.

By the time my shift was done they had to pry that bell out of my frozen claw.