All Things Concrete

Don't get me wrong, I typically have faith in Dustin and his creative process. Very few times has he come up with an idea that doesn't work out (barring his movie choices... believe me, I have outside support on this). Examples of things that have worked out: renting the loft in Seattle, buying the Fiat with our last paycheck for 2 months, getting married, moving to San Diego, tearing off the awning on our new house, etc. That still doesn't stop me from getting paranoid when he becomes very quiet and stares into space for an twenty minutes and then gets up abruptly asking where he can find an exact-o knife, a stick of gum, and two match sticks. I believe that support in your partner is the glue in a relationship. And so we now have...

He created a concrete wall between our living room and kitchen. It is smooth, with tiny cracks that create a visual texture amidst the faded chicken wire backing.

And I'll be damned if he wasn't right. It does frame the kitchen and lead the eye to all things concrete. Well played, sir, well played.

And the Winners Are...

We won by a landslide at the Crazy Christmas Sweater Party that Dustin's mom, Robbie threw. We won mostly because we were two of 4 participants (the others being the host and her friend) and because our sweaters were without a doubt the most HIDEOUS that have ever existed.


Dustin's was actually a womans sweater with shoulder pads. The embroidered angels and pine trees were so abundant that it was puffy. Mine was puffy, too... with painted polar bears and a doily polo collar. I hate us.
The holiday spirit, which I typically avoid, did seep in a bit. Even if it was to make fun of it. That's really how I shine anyway. Her party inspired me to put up our tree. Our shiny, bedazzled, disco tree. Baby Jesus would be so proud.

Um, I Think Curtis "Digs" the Snow

Question: What's got four paws and loves him some snow?

Answer: This guy right here!

We were invited out in the snow to celebrate our radtastic friends' son's 4th birthday. We met in town and traveled south to the snowy goodness in the Lake of the Woods area. There was a perfect turnout just off a mountain road to set up a campfire, play, smother each other in snow, hunt for Christmas trees, and eat cupcakes of glory that Shaunna made.


Speaking of glory... a rare picture of Dustin AND Curtis SITTING STILL!!!

... and looking rather handsome, at that.

But, who brought the nerd in street wear?

That's me, warm but a bit unprepared for being a So.O.(Southern Oregonian) in the winter.
In summation, we had a wonderful time with a lovely group of folks.

Thanks, Thanksgiving!

Megan, Robbie, and Me

Monkey Bread

FRITATA!!!!

Table Decoration and Conner

There were other people there, too. Like my husband, for example. And Megan's husband, Max, and his father, Paul. Somehow I had neglected to get them on camera? Probably because I was busy taking shots of the very special treat of new nephew, COLBY!

Now I don't eat meat but I could nibble on a foot or ear of this here baby.
Just sayin'.

On the 5 Days Before Appraisal My True Love Made a To Do List

Tis the season for fixing up the house in a mad rush to welcome guests that are traveling from afar and for appraisers who may grant us more money toward our home. Dustin pulled two almost all-nighters retexturing 3 rooms, installing overhead lights in 3 rooms (that previously didn't have any), and touching up the outer house paint while I painted walls and trim inside. Whew. Sometime around 2 a.m. on Sunday, we folded up shop and arranged for my ma-in-law to show the appraiser our semi-fixed up home. We did score big but decided to pass until we could get more.... the saga continues.

Upon Purchasing a Car

We knew that the day was coming for us to get a new car what with my new job and the commute and all. As we were avoiding that fact and going to get lunch Monday morning, our most current car, a 1977 Fiat Spider, was acting out.

Not up. Out. It was convulsing and not staying "ON" when the gas was released. This is kinda a big deal if you want to move forward at a green light, right? So we walked the Curtis and took off to the tour of car lots in G.P. and then to Merlin and then to Medford. As time was ticking and our patience waned, a glorious sales lady came, picked us up and drove us to her lot. No shit. We then got passed to another sales gal who helped us find exactly what we needed in our price range. Four hours and a test drive later, we was buyin' ourselves a 2003 Nissan Xterra with extemely low miles.

I won't even post them because it's like car sales person porn.
When we were signing the papers, we EACH got to pick our own pen, we got a free meal (from Taco Bell), and a new car! RAAAAAAAAAAD. I should send this post to our home seller folk to show them how it's done? Dinner and pens? Bitch, get back! You about to be skooled.

I've Never Felt More In Control

So I'm sitting on my porch, with my dog, without my dude, with a spectacularly clean home, a full fridge, a new car, all the bills paid... when it hits me. I am in control. That's funny. I thought I was supposed to get an email or mailer about this moment so that I could prepare. I think things really developed for me when I called Curtis' name and he stopped eating whatever he was eating and came to me, and sat down, and laid his cone noggin on my foot with a contended sigh.

Wow.
Now where is my mama to come to and sit down with and sigh with? Or that's right! She DID her job and that is why I am here right now. Not to toot my own horn here people, but to know me is to understand that I NEVER feel in control. My daily visual is of a ball of really, super expensive gold yarn falling from my hands to the depths of a very large and deep valley below, filled with gold yarn lovin' alligators.