1/22/2010 City of Kenmore Occupation Permit

*Walks in almost cheerfully*

Hi Mr. Blog,

Guess what? I turned in my five pages of information to City Hall today.

Trudy Kronenberg notarized for me at my Bank of America yesterday so it is all legal.

She is my hero. Did I ever tell you about when my dad died and we needed to have mom

sign a notarized form and Trudy drove with me to mummy's nursing home and helped her

sign the form? I still tear up a little bit thinking about it.

Sometimes the world seems so mean

and then out of the blue someone does something really nice

and you are happy you are alive

and you concentrate on making other people happy.

It happened to me today.

I had awful insomnia last night after going to the Swamp Creek Park meeting.

When I saw the big drawing of the trail going right next to and behind my house

I nearly passed out. Geez, the traffic noise is bad enough but to have a zillion people

blabbing right next to my house with their barking dogs...Ugh.

So I felt like a sack of oatmeal this morning,

but I got up and exercised anyway and

went to Costco and City Hall and then Safeway for a few last things.

I had the best chat with Tora

and after I paid Theresa for my stuff I stopped and was peering at the

Wall Street Journal and missing it and a lady near me said,

Do you see something interesting?"

I told her I missed reading it because when I was a flight attendant

we always had them for the passengers in the morning and she said,

"Here. I want to buy it for you." I told her I didn't really need it but

she shoved it in my hands anyway.

It was like the best thing that ever happened to me in my entire life.

1/20/10 NIXPIX 2009 Earnings:$1,008.24

*Walks in and sits on the edge of the chair*
I don't have much time Mr. Blog but I HAD to stop by and tell you that
Nixpix earned a whopping $1,008.24 last year!
I am so excited!
I did it myself!
I designed it, got it made and sold it myself.
I feel more satisfied with this tiny dab of income than I did
from earning ten years of giant cash at the post office and airlines.
There is just something about having your name on your self-made product.
It is joyful like having a baby only there are no stinky diapers!
And guess what?
I went to the Washington State Department of Revenue and paid my state taxes online!
I had to put down where the games went with the amounts so it took awhile but
it was very exciting to list sales in Kenmore, Bothell, Woodinville, Seattle, Kirkland, Bainbridge Island, Spokane and TEXAS!
It cheered me up considerably and got me to quit missing my kittens for a few hours.

1/20/10 You Get What You Need

*Walks in and lies down*
Hi Mr. Blog,
I'm starting to perk up a bit. My muscles don't ache so much today.
So I had wanted to go to the 100 year centennial of the Boy Scouts of America
I started as a den leader in 1999. I had a vision of Troy and Teddy
being Boy Scouts and flying back East to go to the jamboree at Fort AP Virginia.
Well, the boys outgrew scouts and I retired as a den leader after ten years,
but I still wanted to go to the jamboree as a visitor to celebrate
what I consider the best global youth organization
that is in the business of growing good citizens.
I decided I would not have a way to pay back the $1,000.00 I would have to charge to go.
Then my pal from Englewood Colorado, Jan Bennison, called Monday night.
We talked for three hours about Lloyd and our families
and everything that has happened since we met in Houston Texas
at Continental Airlines inflight training in 1987.
Hearing about the illness of one of her family members
made me stop and think for a long time.
I decided that while I have perfect health I should go to that jamboree.
Teddy wants to go too. He is adventurous like I am.
Then yesterday I got my charge card bills for all the game parts and realized I could barely
pay them. I realized there is no way we could afford to go and was very sad.
I woke up now hearing the chorus of the Rolling Stones song, *Sings*
If you try sometime, you just might find, you get what you need."
So I decided I won't get what I want this time.
I have what I need.
Food, shelter, perfect health, my little family and God.
Well, I'd better run. Now that I'm feeling a little better
the million things I need to do are waiting for me.
I keep dreaming that I see Earl and Winston playing in the back yard.
Their orange coats contrasting with the dark green grass.
Then I wake up and they are still gone.
Makes it hard to go forward
when my heart is heavy
missing them.

1/18/10 Minnesota Viking T-shirts

*Walks in slowly and lies on couch*
Hi Mr. Blog.
It has been so confusing at my house
that I feel like I'm stuck in a revolving door.
Between Terry, Troy and Teddy being home for three days straight
my head is spinning.
Hearing all the work & school stories is giving me overload with this flu.
So Terry just told us the Minnesota Vikings beat his favorite team the
Dallas Cowboys yesterday and his Ellensberg pal, Mike Bellande, would be happy.
So I'm hoping every single Minnesota Viking fan would like to buy
Nixpix Cute Little Doggy Viking t-shirt!
If every single school with the Viking mascot and
every single sports team with the Viking mascot
bought one T-shirt from Nixpix.com Zazzle wearables,
I could fund the printing of Gin Latin
and help millions of people
worldwide with their English!
Bleh, this flu makes me ache all over and I have a million things to do.
I'm going back to bed.

1/15/10 Earl and Winston in the God-hand Cradle

*Walks in with stoic expression and lies down*
Hi Mr. Blog. Thanks goodness you are here today. Yesterday was brutal
but I feel better today.
I have started having hotflashes at night again after several months without them.
I had four hotflashes the night before last so when I finally got up yesterday
I felt like an old dishrag.
I picked up Earl and Winston's sister Patches at Mabel's house and dropped her off to
get spayed at Mabel's vet. She is the age Peppy, her orange mommy was, when she got pregnant.
Mabel wants to keep her and I want to get Peppy fixed for her too but I can't catch her!
The minute she sees me she runs. Bleh.
I met Bonnie Forsyth Rygh's at Canyon Park and bought her lunch at Canyon's out there.
Gail Crawford Muzzy was our hostess and I was so thrilled to see her. Talk about about
delightful on feet. She is like a red rose walking around, all charming and lovely.
So Bonny and I went to high school together and knew each other but weren't close friends.
When Lisa Martinez found everyone on Facebook last spring, Bonnie came to the Christmas
party down at the Ram in University Village and we sat by each other and
hit it off. She is really positive and wise and the kind of friend I need right now.
So the last thing I needed to do in my kitten quest was to go to the pound.
I posted it on the wall down the hall Monday and Bonnie offered to go with me!
We had a nice blab-a-thon and got down to Crossroads in Bellevue to the
King County Animal Shelter and went in right when they opened at two.
There were only three gray and white tabby cats and one Guinea pig there.
After we looked at their cats we went to the reception room and Bonnie went
through the 'Found Cat' book and I filled out a 'Lost Cat' form.
The shelter man was nice but scolded me for giving a man my phone number in case
Peppy has more kittens before we can get her fixed.
And I lost it. I started crying like a little baby
because I loved, loved, loved Earl and Winston so much.
We hadn't had a kitten in the house since Troy picked out Smokey twelve years ago.
They were so cute and funny and full of the devil.
They shredded everything, knocked everything over and were
like miniature Troy and Teddys.
So I accepted they are gone and decided to move on and when I said my prayers last night
I visualized them curled up in God's giant hands together.
An orange and white striped circle of fluff sleeping together peacefully.
God was gently rocking them while they slept
and they were fine.

1/14/10 Our Kids Hate Us

*Walks in and lies down*
Ugh Mr. Blog,
My life is such a county song today or maybe even a blues song.
*Sings* I don't have a job, my kittens are gone, my business is in the red...I'm staying in bed.
So anyway, yesterday was Terry's day off and we had a long talk about the kids.
Troy's grades aren't great and Teddy has been gaining a bit of weight
so we decided to take away their game systems.
If looks could kill we would have been smote down
when they came home from school and saw their stuff gone.
If I ever had one piece of advice for parents it would be to never get an electronic game system.
Unless it is a WII and you only had games and sports played standing up.
All those games are addicting that are designed for testosterone ridden teenage boys/men.
There is way too much violence in the world and I think those games are evil.
I don't need evil in my home.
They can have them back when they move out
which is only in two years.

1/13/10 Jobless In Kenmore

*Walks in feeling defeated*
Well Mr. Blog,
I feel defeated.
I was SUPPOSED to get a cool, good paying job teaching
after suffering through five years of college.
What's up with that?
I guess I'm not alone since the newspaper says ten million Americans are out of work.
I don't even have the cash to get my business going
which I LOVE better than anything else.
I thought I'd be hired to teach and could get my business going with that job.
Seven years as a substitute with 200 applicants for every full time job.
I guess what burns me up the most is the long term sub jobs going to the retired teachers.
They are already pulling down full retirement and social security plus $145.00 a day subbing.
I just don't know what to do.
Got any ideas?

1/12/10 Home Based Business Permit

*Walks in and lies down*
Hi Mr. Blog,
I'm accepting that our kittens have found new homes finally. I'm starting to recover a little.
I woke up thinking I could get all the information for my permit from
the King County assessors office and I was right.
Luckily the pool deck permit fiasco taught me all about permit applications.
The assessor's website had all the information for the form
except the section on whether we were on
a geological location for flood, mudslides, seismic activity and a few more odd things.
I called the City of Kenmore and left a message with our lot number
and she called later and said we didn't have any problems showing in their records.
Then I called her and asked if Terry needed to sign everything too
and have his signature notarized too and she said no.
That was a huge relief 'cause he hates that kind of thing.
I was going to turn everything in tomorrow but
I realized it will be an annual $50.00 fee
and I didn't want it any closer to Christmas
than it had to be so I'm waiting until the 25th to take my forms in.
The last day is the 30th and that will give me five days to tweak it
if I am missing anything.
I looked up the new Cascadia Community College online
to find a bookkeeping class to help me with the business.
I have made the decision to have my business be a success
and I need to get all my ducks in a row paperwork wise.

1/12/10 Four More Copyrights

*Walks in trying to be brave and lies down*
Hi Mr. Blog,
Still no kittens. I just keep visualizing them on a puffy white comforter with tiny pink flowers on a soft bed sleeping in their new home, where ever that may be. Even Brenda said they were the most irresistible orange tabbys she has ever seen. Turns out orange tabbys are her favorite too! I sure miss those little brat-cats getting into everything and knocking things over.
Well at least I got SOME good news yesterday.
A nice lady from the copyright office in Washington DC called me yesterday.
She had my four submissions from March 2008 in front of her and was checking the dates!
I was so happy because when I mailed the stuff in
I never thought to get them certified with a return receipt requested. How dumb of me.
The big relief was the Pass the test, Rules of the Road copyright being done
since I have been selling it since August I would NOT want someone taking the idea.
The nice lady said that I'd get them in four to six weeks and
it cheers me up considerably.

1/11/10 Missing the BSA 100th Birthday Party

*Walks in slowly and flops on couch*
Well Mr. Blog,
I have made a decision. Teddy and I aren't going back east to Fort AP Virginia this summer
for the Boy Scout of America 100th year birthday jamboree.
I wanted to go so bad
after being a den mother for cub scouts ten years
I really felt I needed to be there.
To pay tribute to Lord Bayden Powell and the previous scout leaders
that created the best youth group organization in history.
The time I spent with the cubs and their parents was
one of the most happy, fulfilling times of my life.
Especially going to camp.
I went to camp with the boys for eight summers
as a leader or volunteer or both.
So I investigated the arrangements
and found the jamboree visitor dates and closest hotel
and joined American Airlines flyer program and got enough points for a free ticket for Teddy.
BUT, I would have to charge my $500.00 ticket
and rent a car and pay for the hotel which would be $1,000.00 I don't have,
I thought I'd be selling enough games or subbing enough to
pay for the trip but I haven't.
Maybe there will be a miracle and I'll get the latest long term sub job I applied for.
I do believe in miracles.

1/9/10 Lost Cats

*Drags in and flops on couch*
Mr. Blog, something awful has happened. Our twin seven month old kittens are gone.
They went out this morning and didn't come back.
I hope someone in the condos thought they were lost
and took them in.
I called everywhere and put up posters and now all I can do is wait.
I miss Earl and Winston.

1/6/10 Bou Bounces Back Up Again

*Skips in whistling and sits on the edge of the wingback chair with huge smile*
Oh Mr. Blo-og, guess what I'm doing today?
I'm working and getting ready for Troy's 16th birthday tomorrow!
I am an entire hour ahead of my usual schedule!
I'll jump around with my Jane Fonda tape like I do every morning
then dash around dragging all my game parts back to the living room.
Can you keep a secret?
I hated Christmas a little this year. I love God and Jesus but that
darn Christmas tree meant I had to shut down my entire operations for two weeks!
My mom and sisters and I always celebrated epiphany so I felt guilty taking down the tree early.But now I am so excited to get back to work!
I'll have everything put back for work by the time Ellen comes on.
I have limitless energy today because I was able to sleep through
the five AM stomping around of Terry and the kids leaving for school
until 7:30AM.
I shot out of bed like a piece of toast
so I am totally EXCITED about life, love, work, kids and my friends.
Some are still down the hall having coffee
but most had to go to work
and that inspires me to work.
I'm one of the very few people that LOVES TO WORK!!!
I'll bet I was the only mail carrier in the world that polished and shined her shoes once a week
and the only flight attendant that polished and shined BOTH her inflight and high hells
every week for eight years
and the ONLY substitute teacher that polishes and shines her shoes before EVERY job
and the only friend that polishes and shines her shoes before going to a fancy place!
So, day before yesterday I had the world's biggest pity party and cried for two hours straight
and now I"M BACK!
When I was a kid, Auntie Jean bought us kids
a four foot tall vinyl clown that she put water in
the bottom of for us to punch.
We loved that punching clown!
The harder you hit it
the faster it would pop back up.
That's me!!! I'M THE CLOWN!
The harder you hit me the faster I bounce back up.
Day before yesterday
I beat myself up silly.
So now I am so full of excitement I can't stand it!
Later dayz dude!

1/4/09 The Puzzle

*Drags in crying*
Oh Mr. Blog,
Thank God you are here.
I am so upset today.
Everyone down the hall in the commons area was leaving for work
and I had no where to go.
No time clock to punch. I liked punching that time clock at the post office for ten years.
I feel like my life is a 10,000 piece puzzle and someone is shaking the box
so that not only are pieces missing,
half the pieces are not even facing the right direction!
On the wall is a giant clock with Roman Numerals of years instead of minutes and hours!
The hands are two thirds around the clock until it is time for me to go!
So I have to remember to:
1 Put one foot in front of each other
2 Eat my elephant one bite at a time
3 Go jump around with Jane Fonda and then try to get my house back in order
Thanks for listening Mr. Blog. You are a real lifesaver sometimes!

1/3/10 Nixpix New Year

*Walks in cheerfully and lies down*
Well Mr. Blog, I survived the holidays and had a darn good time.
I enjoyed having Troy and Teddy home so much. They are such nice people.
I also enjoyed frolicking with my old grade/high school pals Riel, Patty, Molly, Marcia, Margo, Mimi, Ann and everyone that came to Pam's party.
I also liked traveling around to arts and crafts fairs to sell my games.
Met some really nice people at the fairs.
So my new big idea is that I'm working at the 47th annual RV show at QWest Field next month
but I'm worried because it has a $500.00 vendor fee and I'd have to charge it on my business account that I won't be able to pay if I don't sell enough.
My gut feeling is that my game would be PERFECT for RV entertainment in campgrounds.
If I could sell all 479 games that are left I could go to print
on the USA version March 1st as planned.
Then I'd be done with both games since they are both limited editions of 500 and it would
give me the income to print Gin Latin by July which is my bigger goal.
I'm such a terrible businesswoman Mr. Blog!
I should be hustling to get down all the Christmas decorations
and get the business paperwork done with Aime
and fill out my City of Kenmore forms
and instead I'm working on New Years Cards
to send people with pictures from this last year.
Frolicking on my deck with Molly, Patty and Marcia; going to Lloyd's funeral and visiting Raylene Naftzger in Orem Utah afterwards. Hanging out with Riel Escadaro all the time.
Visiting Bren in Hawaii for my 53rd birthday.
I mean, how much will a silly photograph mean to an old friend anyway?
I seem to have a problem with my priorities.
I want to bring good cheer to people instead of focusing on making cash.
The only reason I even need cash is to get Terry off my back all the time.
So, I'm going to try to concentrate on business more and friends less
because I do love my husband
even though he makes me crazy sometimes.
Oh, guess what I did to Celebrate New Year's Day?
I jumped in my pool!
It was thirty-five degrees!
Troy said he'd jump in but he chickened out at the last minute.
Carlos took cute pictures of us getting ready to jump.
I was so cold that my brain froze and I was seeing spots all over.
I took a hot shower and curled up in bed around my heating pad for an hour to thaw out!
But I felt strongly about doing something tortuous to myself
so that everything else this year seems easy.