FRUGAL UPSTATE RULES!

A blog I follow is FrugalUpstate.blogspot.com .... she has realistic ideas and coping skills for stretching your money. Lots of recipes, fun things to do, decor -- it runs the whole gamut!

Right now she is collecting and posting ideas for Thanksgiving meals -- she just announced a dish giveaway --- perfect for holiday celebrations!

Go check out her site!

ODDS AND ENDS

It's been a bit ... have been dealing with all sorts of details getting ready to go to Sicily as well as some me stuff....

The presidential election is over ... Barrack Obama won by a landslide. He has quite a mess to deal with - of course, no matter who won, there is a mess to deal with. I worked the polls as an assistant precinct inspector - am glad I won't be doing that again anytime in the near future. We had lots of poll watchers (never had that before), a lawyer who was making that rounds that things were being done on the up-and-up (he wanted us to give him a count of how many people had voted -- there were people in line waiting to get their ballots and he wants us to count how many have already come thorough -- sheesh).

The condo has been getting painted the last three days .. dust everywhere and everything I have is in one pile in the middle of the living room. There is more space around the pile for the painters to work with with the pile in the LR than if the pile was in any other room.

Today the place was sprayed -- or at least most of it - so Indy and I had to leave. Indy went to day boarding at the vets (she just loved that - yeah right!) and got her final check-up to go to Sicily. I got my visa pictures taken, took the car to the dealership to get the airbag light dealt with, re-priced all Don's glass at Spanish Village for the student sale tomorrow, picked up my tickets to get my visa, and lots of other bits and pieces.

Am unburying the pile so I can get everything I need to take with me to Houston -- ugh! Things just got tossed into boxes and bags the first day the painters were here because they showed up early. Still have to find someone to replace the laundry room door since the painters accidentally ripped out the screws when masking the floor -- too much damage to just re-screw the hinges.

Got to stop playing and get everything set for the flight ...less than a month 'til Indy and I are off for Sig and less than two weeks before Don and Karen here for Thanksgiving.

JUST VENTING

The last couple of days have not been fun....a client waffled on a condo he wanted to buy...has now lost it. He is also struggling for a loan -- just not fun for either of us.

For me personally, there was a three week delay getting information to join Don in Sig. Don's employer has finally started that process, but I now only have two weeks to get to Houston to submit the forms before my in-laws come for a week visit. Still have to get Indy's medical taken care of before the 2nd, needed the Italian forms for that.

Suspect that I will have to forfeit the airline reservations I have made --- all dependent on when the visa process starts.

LITTLE ITALY FEST 2008

Sweets vendor

Looking down India Street

Details on the Little Italy sign supports...

Sunset over the harbor ... we were in Julian in the morning, Little Italy the later afternoon... off to Olive Garden for dinner..

CHALK PAINTINGS - LIITLE ITALY FEST STREETS

Artists re-creating great works during Little Italy Fest 2008

CHRIS IN JULIAN

Chris eating a carmel apple ... made with a fresh juicy Julian apple .... until last weekend, I didn't know he loved candied apples...

A DAY IN JULIAN WITH CHRIS - PART 3

Street signs

"mini-pooh sticks"

scarecrow ... it's apple time in Julian

"Mommmmm.....I don't WANT my picture taken! Then I'll wear my Calvin-face!"

A DAY IN JULIAN WITH CHRIS - PART 2

Main Street in Julian .... everyone's up for the day ...it's Apple Time!


a dog Chris liked...

A DAY IN JULIAN WITH CHRIS - PART 1

Mom's Apple Pies ... watch the pie makers in the window

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More of Main Street

WORLD CURRY FAREWELL

Andy, Kim, Lance in the back booth (Lance.......are you in a trance?) at World Curry
Don and Andy playing with her camera
Don and Andy at the front of World Curry..they have an automatic garage door as the front window that opens and closes to take advantage of the sunshine and beach weather

DON WHEN HE LEFT

Don off and on his way to our new home .......I'll be with you soon.......Indy and I will be there in a few weeks...

INDY WATCHING KITTY-TV

The birds are right there...just inches away....go away, you're bothering me!

FOUND A JAR OF MANZANILLA OLIVES -

Purging out my spice cabinet, packing the unopened spices to take to Sicily and way down at floor level (it's a small cabinet next to the stove only about 2-foot wide, six-inches deep and about 4-foot high that is between wall studs) I found a jar of Manzanilla olives -- the green ones from Spain.

These were Kahlua's olives, she loved to lick the juice off of them -- sometimes even gnawed on one a bit. She was a true Spaniard! Kahlua right before I took her to the vet -- Indy and Kahlua a few minutes later

KAHLUA'S CROSSED THE RAINBOW BRIDGE

When an pet dies who has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....


It's time to let her go...she had been getting steadily frailer and lately she barely eating and sat in a corner of the room almost all the time ...but she had been part of our lives for nearly 15 years....I'm not ready to let her go...but I don't want her to hurt any more... I miss Kahlua.... Indy keeps wandering around the condo meowing ... Dr. Beneviedes examined Kahlua this morning and agreed that it was time to let her go...I was going to sit with her while she went to sleep and tell her how much we would miss her (I was to wait outside while the shot was given, I didn't think I could handle seeing the injection)...but she slipped away as soon as the medicine was given. My mind knows that this was best...but it still hurts.... I miss my kitty-dog. I am glad that Dr. B was there....she took care of my kitten. I wish Kahlua could have been taken outside so that she could have gone to sleep in the sunshine and fresh air ..... Bye Kahlua....we'll miss you....lots.........

OLD PICTURE - CHRIS ON MT FUJI

Closing one of my Email addresses --- so purging Emails. This waas taken while he was doing a NROTC summer cruise in Japan - I think it was 2002.

Hooray! He made it to the top!

His Fuji-stick had all the insignias from the various stopping points going up Mt. Fuji -- regretfully .... his stick was distroyed on an accident after coming back Stateside.

OLD COMIC - RICKY AND ORDERS TO DIEGO

Subject: Before you transfer Remember it could be worse love you, Chris

{another an old email from my son - he can find some wonderful pieces}

BYE HONEY -- DON'S OFF AND ON HIS WAY

Don left Saturday for Sicily ... he'll soon be again sitting on the stones in the Valley of the Temples (like he is in this picture from November). I miss him, the cats miss him (especially Kahlua, his kitty-dog, she's been sitting in a corner facing the wall since he left). With the housing market going south, I may join him sooner than planned. I have options that may suit me better than real estate -- maybe not as much money possible -- but better suited to my personality type. Have to consider so I make a well-thought out choice.

WHY AM I DOING THIS?

Labor Day was yesterday --- instead of enjoying the day with my family, I am participating in a drug test study. I checked in yesterday morning by 0700 and won't be able to leave until Wednesday around noon-time. I repeat the cycle for the next three weeks.
So why am I doing? Oh yeah -- $4200.
Amazing what people will do for money. How goofy.

A butterfly Don and I saw when we went down to the Tall Sailing Ships festival downtown San Diego last week.

RICK OR LONG TIME NO SEE

Rick is a friend from our time stationed at NAWC Pax River back 1992-1995.... Don has seen him a few times the last couple of years, but neither Chris nor I have seen Rick since leaving Pax. So good to see him. He has recently retired from the Navy and is taking a few months off to relax before starting a new career. Don, Chris and I were all highly involved with Boy Scouts back then...got Rick involved and even now he still is active. Has been doing 50-milers with his troop in Ventura County.

CHRIS AND HIS BIRTHDAY

Chris came down from Ridgecrest to spend his birthday week with us....sadly, I was working with a client and didn't get to spend as much time with him as I wanted. Here Don and Chris wrestle on the couch (run cats!)


We went over to see the car barns at Simpson Nursery in Jamul.......wonderful collection!

DO NOT STAND AT MY GRAVE

Do not stand at my grave and weep,
I am not there, I do not sleep.
I am in a thousand winds that blow,
I am the softly falling snow.
I am the gentle showers of rain,
I am the fields of ripening grain.
I am in the morning hush,
I am in the graceful rush
Of beautiful birds in circling flight,
I am the starshine of the night.
I am in the flowers that bloom,
I am in a quiet room.
I am in the birds that sing,
I am in each lovely thing.
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there. I do not die.

--------generally attributed to Mary Frye

PADRES GAME (OR THE CURSE CONTINUES...)

Don, his supervisor Loren and I were at Petco Park last Friday for a Padres game....we lost (as usual, Don and Loren have cursed
the team) .... but we did get to see the San Diego Chicken (and chick-lets)...here they try to hypnotise the visiting team