Chit Chat?

Easter is coming! Do you know what that means?!?! Vern and I's 2 year anniversary!Here we are at Cape Flattery,WA approximately 2 years ago

I'm still typing away, preparing recipes for the cookbook.
Work is good,I am so grateful to have so many loyal clients keeping me busy!

I think that the most important thing a woman can have - next to talent, of course - is her hairdresser.-Joan Crawford 

My new favorite products this week are a few things I picked up at work. Pure Results Sugar Scrub by Regis (sold only at HairMasters and other Regis owned salons) and the Cashmere body wash and lotion set. If you use the scrub on your whole body and then Cashmere body scrub after,you feel soft like a new born baby and yet you also smell feminine and sexy ;)
We canceled our gym membership. Ever since we decided to cancel I've lost almost 10 pounds. Ironic. Whatever.
Planning a trip home to Idaho soon. I haven't been home since last summer! I'm homesick!
Vern's surgery is next week.I am praying that he will have a successful surgery and a painless recovery. Poor guy :( It's going to be hard to see someone I love so much in pain! (While telling a friend I was going to keep him doped up for the first few days,she laughed and compared me to Cathy Bates in that movie Misery!LOL!)

Random Little Things

Preserving Spills & Thumbprints

 I am working on a family cookbook. It's a effort to preserve the precious recipes that are disappearing as fast as the generations of my family.I will be using old family photos and a few photos of my own for the book. I have been and will be taking photos and making a few recipes in the process just for fun! Tonight I made my Mom's recipe for chicken casserole and it was delish!

You can tell a lot about a woman by her recipes. My Mom's recipes all seem to be easy,quick,inexpensive and enough food to feed a small army. She raised 4 kids and ran a business with my Dad yet she still found time to feed us a yummy meal each night. Amazing! I have no kids and work 32 hours a week and can't manage to cook more that 2-3 times a week!

As I sit here at my computer copying the recipes I get a sentimental twinge..I love these recipes just the way they are..the newspaper clippings and food spotted recipe cards written in the handwriting of generations of women before me.

Then my eyes turn to the version I have just created....

My heart sinks. What have I done? But wait...I'm trying to make these last another few generations..isn't that good? Perhaps I need to scan some the recipes just as they are and add them to the book that way?Oh yes...brilliant... that makes me feel better! :) Off to keep at it..my goal is to have this book written,designed and printed by Mother's Day 2011..and that's pushing it!

Frugality 101

Today I grocery shopped.You know,the kind you do about every 3 months because you can no longer construct a make shift casserole out of what food is left in the house. I did some meal planning and wrote a list. My goal was to buy what we needed and what was on sale. I read too often about the frugal women out there who feed their families on a few dollars per meal and well..I want to be one of them.Nothing extreme,just adjusting our monthly menu according to what's on sale that month. I am also hoping this inspires some new meals around here,I feel like I have been cooking the same ol' stuff over and over.
My journey began at Safeway. Let me tell ya',I was shocked at how much they have lowered their prices! Plus the specials and sales were everywhere! I filled my cart so full that I thought the wheels were going to fall off! They were sqweeeling with agony as I finally rolled up the cashier an hour later after scanning every isle. I got a month or two's worth of everything from milk to meat to snacks for under $200! Ahh the satisfaction of  being thrifty...well not bad for my first attempt-I saved $60!I also did not fall into temptation and buy things I knew were cheaper at Grocery Outlet. It's on my way home and so there's no excuse not to make the extra stop. I always buy my butter and cheese there and I found a new stainless steel colander for $2.99!  Then home to put away groceries....
About once a month I love to make my Mom's recipe for Lasagna. The guys love it too-it's pure saucy,cheesy,comfort food :) The recipe is so simple,you don't even precook the noodles! Vern's Mom had surgery today, so I took the opportunity to offer to bring her dinner tomorrow. She let out a joyful "Yeah!" when I asked if she wanted home made lasagna,it made me giggle. I'm grateful that I can cook for my Boyfriend's Mom and it doesn't make me nervous. I guess I can thank my Mom for that one. I'm no gourmet chef but I can throw down some dam good comfort food when needed!Thanks Mom :) (Oh and even though you don't read this Mom..I'm attempting your "Chicken Broccoli Casserole" this week too. It looks frugal and yummy..just our style;o}) I will food blog and post recipes for the rest of you if you'd like!? Until then I am off to recharge for another busy day tomorrow....

If at first you don't succeed, do it the way your mother told you to.
-- Author Unknown

Just Once

I expect to pass through life but once.  If therefore, there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now, and not defer or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again.  ~William Penn

My Rainy TGIF

Cement happen this morning while I slept. New beams installed to hold up the new addition upstairs.

And then production came to a halt because of the rain...

All is quiet.

And then I saw the little thing that made my morning...

My herbs I planted a few days ago are already sprouting! Thing is, I got them all mixed up and didn't label them so it's either Basil,Parsley,or Cilantro-I guess it'll be a surprise!Thank you Mother Nature for brightening my rainy TGIF :)

Ketchup Time

 Today is a day of many changes in our little world! As many of you may already know,I live in a small house with my boyfriend and his brother.Vern is my boyfriend and his brother's name is Del.

Vern is on the left,Del's the one with the saw

About 40 years ago..Del on the left with the paint brush and Vern on the right with a new coat of paint. You gotta love brothers!So cute!

Del is legally blind.This meaning that he has partial sight but not enough to drive or work a regular job. Del owns the house and we rent from him and take care of cooking,maintenance etc. The situation works well for us because the rent is cheap and we aren't burdened with the responsibility of home ownership. I enjoy living with 2 men most of the time. They eat pretty much anything I cook and take out the trash and I enjoy living in a house for the first time in many years. Oh the ability to paint and decorate can so easily be taken for granted!haha  I have lived here for about 2 years (1 1/2 full time) and have put my womanly touch on the place. It's starting to look a little more colorful and clean!Ok so now I have you all caught up right?
Now we enter the first of I'm sure many blogs about THE REMODEL that is going to go on around here this summer. Del's room is the attic space that is roughly converted into a bedroom and closet. It's seems the roof is due for replacing so he figured he would take the opportunity to also add on some additional walking/living space upstairs. He is adding dormurs (sp?) with windows and extra square footage for a bedroom,closet,bathroom and sitting area.The addition will also extend off the back of the house and cover a new deck and our current back porch.So basically the entire top of the house is getting an extreme makeover!Vern and I's bedroom is downstairs so we will have a safe place to escape while things are torn apart upstairs. The question we are all starting to ask is..Where is Del going to sleep while all this is going on? In the tiny office? In the living room? At his Mom's?!LOL Ok there's no way that would happen but still we wonder..? I also forgot to mention that the GC doing the remodel is a friend of Del's and with his help Del will be doing a large part of the work to save money. Del works with his friend on remodels quite a bit but never has he done a remodel like this in his own home! Soo..I will try to keep the fridge stocked with sandwich supplies,vacuum as often as I can and keep the bathroom stocked with Lysol Disinfectant Wipes. Pray for me. :) Ok so now you are totally up to date...let me start over..
Today is a day of many changes in our little world! THE REMODEL begins. Utility lines are all marked with bright spray paint,the driveway looks like "Graffitiville". Dirt is already everywhere and there are holes so big I could lose Chipper in them and power tools growl and vibrate the pictures on the wall.I had the day off so I'd sneak out every now and then to see what progress had been made.I'd smoke while I watched them dig ...and dig ...and dig. Yuk,I hate digging. Digging makes my back hurt just thinking about it.I can't say I was affected much,I snuck away to my room and put some copper blond high lights in my hair while watching a series of shows on the Bravo channel that I'd rather not admit to watching hehe Girl time. Yummy,sparkly,goofy Girl time.My hair turned out a little lighter than I had planned but I left it-I few spunky bright high lights in my hair to make me smile at myself in the mirror all day. SOOO worth it,it's only hair right? My hair.That's a whole other blog....Back to today. The next big news came around 4pm. Vern was approved by insurance for his shoulder surgery! I have never been this happy for someone I love to have surgery? Vern has a build up of arthritis in his shoulder that the Dr is going to remove.He can finally  have some relief from the shoulder pain that he has suffered for the last 10 years or more!Yay! BUT-this also means he is going to be unable to work for about 2 months and probably in a lot of new pain! Vern is fortunate enough to have a good job that will pay him well while he is off so he is lucky not to have the financial stress BUT he is a very hard working man and you know what they say...it's hard to keep a good man down! Thanks to pharmaceuticals I will be able to keep him sedated for awhile (haha) but after that..I'm not too sure. The smoker and THE REMODEL should also help to keep him from going completely stir crazy. Poor guy,I will take good care of him :) Alright so are you keeping track here? A house remodel and a boyfriend in repair!Wow,it's going to be a busy summer,I pray the God gives me the patience and compassion of Mother Theresa :)
  BUT wait.... the day wasn't over yet! Tonight I also called my parents and guess what?! My Dad is giving us his boat! We had talked about it before but this time he was very serious! This isn't some fancy canoe either,it's a fishing boat with a jet engine!(This is required to fish UPstream in a river) We can have it he just wants to be able to use it when he comes to go fishing in Sekiu " Take it or I'm going to sell it! No sense in having a boat I don't use and letting it go to waste!" he said. What did I say? "Thanks for the boat Dad!" without hesitation! There I go,adding yet another task or ten to the pile- picking the boat up in Idaho and bringing it here. Storing it until we can adjust this river boat for the Straits Of Juan De Fuca. Pulling it out to Sekiu this fall for the annual fishing trip. But still,I am so thankful! So thankful to have parents that can give us a boat! Vern and I have so much to talk about tomorrow...and so much planning to do.Perhaps we can escape all the aches and pains and craziness mentioned above as we float around the local lakes this summer..in our new boat :)

Food Porn Part 2

 It was awesome to have Friday and Saturday off this week,the weather was beautiful! After a struggle with the flu Vern was feeling well enough to put his new smoker grill to the test. He put on an 8 lb pork shoulder at 9:45 am and let it smoke low and slow all day....
Here's what it looked like after 5 hours-

And here's what it looked like after 8 1/2 hours-

 Hours of apple wood smokin and getting sprayed with apple juice caramelize to make a brown glaze on the out side...it's really hard to wait!
So in the meanwhile I whip up some macaroni and cheese to smoke too-

Here it is getting "happy" in the smoker...oh heavens,I feel the food sinning starting to happen....
As soon as the pork is done it has to sit all bundled up in foil for an hour..I hope the noodles and I can wait until then :)

A Little Advice On Life

I suspect you will be surprised at how well you're doing already.

01. Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.

02. Memorize your favorite poem.

03. Don't believe all you hear, spend all you have, or sleep all you want.

04. When you say, "I love you", mean it.

05. When you say, "I'm sorry", look the person in the eye.

06. Be engaged at least six months before you get married.

07. Believe in love at first sight.

08. Never laugh at anyone's dreams. People who don't have dreams don't have much.

09. Love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt but it's the only way to live life completely.

10. In disagreements, fight fairly. No name calling.

11. Don't judge people by their relatives.

12. Talk slowly but think quickly.

13. When someone asks you a question you don't want to answer, smile and ask, "Why do you want to know?"

14. Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk.

15. Call your mom often.

16. Say "bless you" when you hear someone sneeze.

17. When you lose, don't lose the lesson.

18. Remember the three R's: Respect for self; Respect for others; Responsibility for all your actions.

19. Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.

20. When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.

21. Smile when picking up the phone. The caller will hear it in your voice.

22. Marry a man/woman you love to talk to. As you get older, their conversational skills will be as important as any other.

23. Spend some time alone.

24. Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values.

25. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

26. Read more books and watch less TV.

27. Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll get to enjoy it a second time.

28. Trust in God but lock your car.

29. A loving atmosphere in your home is so important. Do all you can to create a tranquil harmonious home.

30. In disagreements with loved ones, deal with the current situation. Don't bring up the past.

31. Read between the lines.

32. Share your knowledge. It's a way to achieve immortality.

33. Be gentle with the earth.

34. Pray. There's immeasurable power in it.

35. Never interrupt when you are being flattered.

36. Mind your own business.

37. Don't trust a man/woman who doesn't close his/her eyes when you kiss.

38. Once a year, go someplace you've never been before.

39. If you make or have a lot of money, put it to use helping others while you are living. That is wealth's greatest satisfaction.

40. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a stroke of luck.

41. Learn the rules, then break some.

42. Remember that the best relationship is one where your love for each other is greater than your need for each other.

43. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.

44. Remember that your character is your destiny.

45. Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.

One "Step" At A Time

 

What is a stepmother?

A step below or a step above?

Someone for you to (sometimes) love?

Someone to share your laughter and tears?

Or do you grow quiet when she comes near?

*****

What is a stepmother?

A step above or a step below?

Someone to teach you and help you to grow?

Is she a mystery to you, or someone you know?

Are you true with your feelings, or are they for show?

*****

I'm a stepmother, so let me define

What a stepmother is, at least in my mind

A stepmother cares for her family and home

And loves her step kids like they were her own

She fixes their meals, treats a cold, ties a shoe

Anything that a kid's real mom would do

*****

A stepmother consoles you when you feel sad

And hands out a punishment if you are bad

She'll tuck you in bed and read you a story

And yet, it's the real mom that gets all the glory

*****

A stepmother hides the tears that she cries

When mother's day comes and then just slips by

With no card, and no hug, though she really feels sad

She won't let you see it, won't let you feel bad

*****

She feels like an outsider but tries to fit in

If you're playing a game with her, she'll let you win

She makes sure your birthday is one special day

And when hers is forgotten, she'll just look away

*****

When your teen years come, life gets much tougher

With a stepmother these years, for her, are much rougher

You may say or do something that injures her feelings

Please keep in mind that she hurts while she's healing

*****

Your stepmother has done the best she could do

And no matter your age, she'll always love you

For her birthday, the best present to get her

Is the most precious of all, that you didn't forget her

It's like the movie Cinderella-
I see myself like this....

But it seems some people see me like this

Oh the joys of being a Step Mom!

The transition has begun folks. The time is near.
The clocks have been set and the sun sits idle in the sky just a little bit longer.
It's taking over me,I swear I can smell it in the air.
Are you ready for it?
Oh yah,I'm talkin' bout SPRING!!!!!

I enjoyed my last Friday and Saturday shifts for awhile last week. I won't miss those hectic days at the shop! Sunday was a sunny beautiful day so Vern and I decided to head out and do some shopping. Until this weekend I had no idea that Vern had NEVER been to IKEA! Can you believe it? I almost couldn't! Of course I set out to fix that and we headed there first. I think we were in and out of there in a little over 30 minutes!And yes we actually bought stuff! "Follow the blue arrows" I kept saying...He learned his lesson once when we short cut and nearly missed the kitchen stuff (that's like the best part right?!) We really weren't there to buy much,mostly taking a mental inventory of all the things we need and all the things we want as we try to make ourselves comfortable here living at Del's for a few more years. 3 adults and one small dog are a tight fit in our little old house. We need all the IKEA space savers we can get!So we wizzed through,checked ourselves out and we were off  to Cash&Carry. For those of you who haven't been to Cash &Carry,it's a restaurant,coffee shop,catering supply type store. Vern likes to buy meat in large quantities and hand cut and package it at home.It also saves us a lot of money! (We had to stock up our freezer with meat for the new smoker!) This is also where we buy the ingredients for our homemade espresso drinks! It saves me quite a bit of money every week :) Then we headed home to enjoy the rest of the sunny afternoon. These cute birds were playing in a puddle nearby and so I got as close as I could....

Looked like it was bath time!

Last but not least I bring you some more food porn....
Remember the pork loin? I diced a few slices up real small and then  added my chicken fried rice leftovers from lunch and rolled them in the pre-made egg rolls wraps I bought for less than $2. I followed the instructions on the package and they were really easy to roll.

Then off to the deep fryer for 3-5 minutes!

Mmm...deep fried goodness :P

Am I making you hungry yet?
And finally the end result...the best egg rolls I have ever had!

It's so fun to play with food! These were a success and we'll be adding egg roll wraps to our regular grocery list. It's great way to use up leftovers and I'd like to also try them with cream cheese inside too. Perhaps I should put off canceling the gym membership....looks like we are going to be needing it more than ever!

Field Trip

 I did something today I have wanted to do for a long time. I applied for my Concealed Weapons Permit. This particular errand was like a grown-up field trip to the police station!  I have been smart or... maybe lucky enough to avoid becoming familiar with the station, so I admit it was a bit eye opening. After a simple form and $55.25 you are sent downstairs to the finger print machine. I also must add that I had Vern with me and his father was the local police chief for 18 years. His father was a very well known and respected man and that became even more obvious as we walked the halls of the station. His father was in so many of the photos on the walls,very cool :) Vern looks so much like his Dad...So back to my permit-we head downstairs to the finger print machine. We wait at the counter as our officer escort prepares the machine. On a dry erase board in front of us is a chart containing the 20ish people currently visiting our local jail. It states their name,offense and possible time serving. Wow? Although it seemed nosey..I quickly scanned the list to see if I just might recognize a name or two...nope.Then my curiosity had to know what criminals in our small town were doing these days..but it was the typical stuff-DUI,assault,probation violation bla bla .He was finally ready to take my fingerprints. He wet my fingers and squished them onto a glass lens and wa la- my fingerprints appeared on the computer screen!I seemed to be the only one impressed with this process!?Sooo, I think this means that now is not the time to start a criminal career,I am in the system!haha We headed back upstairs and Vern finished my tour down his father's memory lane,who knew going to the police station could be so fun?They will be calling me in a week or so and I can go pick up my permit..well I assume I will pass the background check?!?! haha I don't plan on packing a gun,I just want to exercise my gun rights while I still have them. The permit is also a way for me to show that I intend  to own and use a gun legally and responsibly. I just hope I am never put in a position to have to use it,only the position I am in now of protecting myself in case I do. :)

Food Porn :)

Today's blog is going to star with what I call "food porn"! Remember the pork tenderloin I mentioned yesterday? Well thanks to Vern's meat smoking research I just had to attempt the "bacon blanket" I had seen on so many web sites. I have to admit it looks impressive...yet it's sooo easy to do!

Then I painted on a little liquid smoke and ground some fresh black pepper...

Then into the oven on a broiler pan at 350 for about 2 hours or until it reaches 170 degrees

I broiled mine for the last 5 minutes to crisp the bacon...remove from oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before cutting. Oh but it's worth the wait...

The result was a juicy,smokey, bacon flavored roast! Yum!

Exciting Stuff At Our House This Week...

 I am so excited to finally get to go to Alice In Wonderland this weekend! It came out March 5th but I haven't had time to go :( I have been excited about this movie for 5 months! I don't usually like to go to the  movie theater but I am making an exception this time! Mostly because I have heard that the plot is weak so I am counting on the special effects of Tim Burton and another entertaining performance from Johnny Dep (sp?) I will report back on this Sunday and give my review :)

 In other news-we are anxiously awaiting the arrival of Vern's new smoker BBQ grill

This is the Country Smoker CS 680.
This is going to keep Vern from going crazy while recovering from shoulder surgery this spring.
I am going to enjoy being his taste tester!

It is supposed to arrive tomorrow but no guarantees.We are trying to be patient...but it's hard,Vern has been waiting and researching for weeks! I will also be attempting to help keep a photo log of his yummy creations to keep your taste buds coming back to see more! We are wondering if we can turn this meat and cheese smoking into a money making side business someday..? Mostly I hope Vern enjoys it as much as I think he will :)

 Day off for me tomorrow. I have a small to-do list but I'll be taking it easy. Perhaps I can think of something creative to do with the huge pork roast in my oven...it'd be nice if that damn grill would get here!Haha  I am also going to cancel our gym membership. It was fun but...we just don't go and it seems like a waste of money now that the weather is getting warmer and the dog needs walking. Much better than sweating with 30 other people in a small room full of machines and noise.I just hope there is no guilt trip included in cancellation ; x
As for the rest of the day,a few calls and errands and a whole lotta relaxing! Then back to work for a few more days as I start my awesome new schedule next week. Yay,I get to have a life again!

"You'll never learn to become old and wise if you were never young and crazy!"

-My favorite Facebook quote of the day

Good News:I'm Going To Live

 I know you are probably tired of hearing me complain about work but I have good news! The new manager started today and things have returned back to somewhat normal. So far I think she's going to be great :) My new schedule  is also a huge improvement. I get Friday and Saturdays off plus also Tuesdays! I have worked there a year and was lucky enough to not have to work Sundays but  that meant I had split days off.. Then I realized that Sunday is a way more laid back day and offered the switch. We will be able to do so much more this summer and I won't have to ask for as much time off! Plus I  get the bonus Tuesday to catch up with friends,housework and maybe even find time for photography.Vern is always so patient and supportive, I know he would also appreciate a few home cooked meals each week :) A busy schedule takes the joy out of cooking!
It's March 10th and the news said it's snowing out..so I am off to check the weather and turn on my electric blanket..nitey nite.

Campfire at "Dale's Beach" Sekiu,WA

Party Canceled

  I guess it wasn't the best week to start blogging..it's been a tough week and I've had a hard time finding something positive to share. Vern and I both had to work through the weekend and life outside of work has been just as busy. I can't say anything earth shaking has happen but it's been a week of much change at work. My manager left to pursue a better job and I am so happy for her BUT that means we get a new manager. Now I don't know how many of you have worked in a salon full of women but whenever there is change...things get strange. Kinda like they do when there is a full moon.I like change less than most. Cara likes her comfort zone,please don't rock the boat!haha
  The last week we have had NO manager and as my previous blog mentioned there were some tense moments.The lack of leadership left a ton of responsibility to my co-workers and I! I feel I have been tested in so many ways but I am happy because I learned about parts of my job that I was oblivious to. I struggled,I survived and I came out a stronger person. Ok so maybe change isn't so bad?  I think back to my day..the woman who is retired and raising her 3 teenage grand kids.The youngest 2 are twin boys in the 6th grade,one bi polar and the other ADHD.The oldest, a 16 year old girl who just got her license. Wow,not exactly what her and her husband had planned on their 47th year of marriage! Maybe I need to stop complaining that the ink and the paper ran out on the register...Ant then there was another woman this afternoon, one of my routine questions "Do you have kids?" brought her to tears. She lost her son 2 weeks ago. What do you say besides "I am so sorry"? As for me,after much sympathy and a brief pause I asked if she was married...she lost her husband 2 years ago. Strike 2 for me,I FELT HORRIBLE! She understood my fumble of questions and timing.We had both experienced times in our lives when we felt too heartbroken to go on and then we remembered those who suffer daily tenfold what we were...I think that's when the healing starts? She and I just began to click and the mood changed around in a positive direction!We chatted nonstop through the haircut and when she left,she was smiling :) A haircut can be such a pick me up! I think those are the times that keep my addicted to what I do-I love the high that comes with brightening someone's day. Alright,alright Cara's Pity Party is canceled. I'm done feeling sorry for myself now and done airing my petty complaints. Tomorrow is  a new day and our new manager starts...more change,another test. This time I hope I will pass a little easier while reminding myself that changes promotes growth. Right? This could be very good or very bad. I'm voting for good..or at  least tolerable. Stay tuned...

Just One Of "Those" Days

   I work as a hairstylist at a local chain hair salon. I can't say I love working there BUT I DO love what I do! I have a steady flow of loyal client's that help me keep my sanity and considering the current economy I am grateful to have a job.But then there are days like today...when I want to go running out before the day even starts and I didn't start until 1pm!We have no manager until next Tuesday and I just knew something was going to go wrong.... So it wasn't a huge surprise when i found out our dinosaur of a computer monitor went kaputz this morning.We were instructed by the people on the help line to hand write receipts until they could send us a new monitor tomorrow. Now I know this sounds like no big deal but allow me to elaborate..aside from figuring out tax percentages and writing out SKU numbers on retail, we also had to write down ALL of the credit card info on customer's cards.You should have SEEN the weird spot we were all in..someone writing down your credit card number on a piece of blank receipt paper and then calling it in to authorize it, saying all of your info over the phone! And it took forrrrevvvvverrrr! Then a copy for you and a copy for us and have a good day! YIKES! There was a part of me that started to panic. I can't do this ALL DAY!!! 8 out of every 10 transactions is a credit card! But then..I had to step back and smile. Look at me,in a panic because I have to do things the way I did just 2 years ago,boo hoo!I didn't use a computer to manage finances when I had my own salon! I cursed the stupid computer when I started working there and now I was dying without it?! I had become the techno reliant whiner that I had always made fun of!! So instead of accepting defeat,I recruited  my AWESOME boyfriend to help.Vern dug out my old monitor and came to our rescue.After a few minutes we were back up and running! Thank God I fell in love with a true "Mr. Fix It/Jack Of All Trades" kind of guy! The rest of the night went well,the busy spell was over and now it was a wrestle with time..Can't this day just be OVER already?! 9 o' clock couldn't come soon enough!It did and I snuck in the door just in time to kiss my sleepy boyfriend good night. Ugh. Long day.

Spring Is Here! Right?!?!
Just a few cheerful spring pics to welcome spring!

 

  

Wake up Mother Nature! Time to bloom!

 

  

This weather makes me dream of being at the beach!

All of the above pictures were taken by me :)

In the meanwhile I will tolerate the spring rain...knowing warmer days will be here soon :)

                                            (I stole this one off the internet :P)

Clever Quotes For Today

"God never said life would be easy. He just promised it would be worth it"

"I am only as strong as the coffee I drink,the hair spray I use and the friends I have"

 
 

The Pieces Of Me

  I grew up in a small North Idaho town. My parents owned the local hardware store and we lived in a little 4 bedroom rancher. I have 2 sisters and 1 brother, 2 nephews and 1 niece. I am the youngest by 8 years and I was the "surprise" baby my parents weren't planning for in their 30's. I had the most normal childhood I know of. No really,sooo normal!haha I was a Girl Scout,Freshman Class President,played almost every sport and had so many great friends I couldn't pack them all in my 1969 Dodge Dart! When I was 16 a new bad boy moved to town and as it so typically goes..I was head over heels! We began to date as I finished high school and he dropped out,then I went to beauty school while he sat at home selling weed. I should have listened to my loved ones but nooo,he was going to change. I just knew it. We moved to Washington after I graduated beauty school and I won't bore you with the details of the following ten years but it ended in divorce shortly before my 30th birthday.So I started over.
  I am now 32 and I thank God everyday for the amazing life I live. I spent some time single and loved the freedom and independence of it all! I had my own salon,a cute apartment and my little dog Chipper to protect me!Although the year and a half on my own was great I missed having someone to share my life with. I dated a few different types of guys,the biker,the nice guy,the snob,the young party boy but nothing that I was willing to bring home to Mom and Dad. I figured that was all WA had to offer and I was off to Hawaii.I closed my salon and spent a month on Craigslist trying to find a job and roommate in Hilo. Spring was in the air and a friend invited me over for Easter dinner with her family. I knew all of her family and took the opportunity to get out of the house. That night at the dinner table I met the man of my dreams. He sat next to me at dinner. I will tell our love story at another time but we have been attached at the hip ever since. His name is Vern and he's the love of my life :)

  Fast forward 2 years and here I sit telling you what a happy life I have. I have learned what true love is.  I have learned who my real friends are. I like myself and I know I'm not perfect and that's ok. I have been a hairdresser for almost 14 years and I am finally beginning to think I am getting the hang of it. I hope to grow a garden and attain the culinary skills to make delicious food for my friends and family. If we're not at home,we are at the beach rock hunting and exploring.Otherwise you will probably find me here. Until next time..that's a few "Pieces Of Me"

Chipper