Tuesday, August 26, 2008

A-parrot-ly Annoying

These are the lovely wild parrots that sit outside my window and squawk each morning. On the weekdays, I don't notice them because I have to be awake and driving to work by 8am. On the weekends, though, life with the parrots is much different. They travel in gaggles (?), sit on wires and tree limbs, and wake up the neighborhood around 9am EVERY Saturday and Sunday. They're the rooster of El Cajon.

If you live on the East Coast or Midwest where
parrots are less likely to show up in your backyard than a dodo bird or unicorn, then I'm sure you don't understand my pain. I too thought they were precious when I first moved to San Diego, but since then, they've quickly become an unwanted wake up call.

Justin
assures me that they'll leave by the end of summer. I'm not sure where they migrate to, but I'm hoping it's somewhere like Tahiti or Figi. Somewhere tropical that ends in an "i" where I don't have to hear them. Or I'll go on vacation from them :) Like San Francisco for Labor Day. How about that, parrots? How about that!

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

I Should Have Done This Yesterday

I just thought to put this on here, but it's never too late to extend a birthday :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JEN! Love you!

Monday, August 18, 2008

Wine Tasting!

Ever since I watched Haley Mills in the orginal Parent Trap I have loved California for the wineries. And although I moved here over a year and half ago, I only seem to get to the Southern California wineries for Bridal Showers. I guess that's OK with me :)

For my friend Teresa's Bridal Shower, we started at the house of another friend and had Tea for T! Super cute. At 3pm we headed in two large SUVs (they're good for something I guess) to a super close winery off the 15, one which some of you may get to see when you come to visit for it will quickly become my favorite place to take visitors. It's called Chateau Dragoo. Interesting, but the castle and wine tasting rooms made the place quaint. Meanwhile, the grapevine-covered portico was to die for! After hitting up a lesson--led by Sniffles McGee from the winery--and then tasting some more, we bought two bottles and headed out to the portico to soak it all in. What a great way to catch up with old Vistage friends I haven't seen in forever! Melissa, Bree, and Kristi are pictured below. We were the red wine drinkers, and all previous/current employees of Vistage. Love these girls!
And it just so happens that in the October issue of SprayFoam magazine I wrote a story about a winery in Northern California where they sprayed SPF on the outside of the wine tanks. It allows the owners to keep the tanks at a controlled temperature. Oh the crazy things you can do with spray foam! My text is due this Friday so I've been spending most of my time during the day trying to come up with a finished issue. Hopefully I'll meet my deadline so that you good people can have yet another fabulous magazine to read when it drops October 1, 2008. Look for it in your mailboxes (if you've asked me to put you on the circulation list, that is). Otherwise, ask me about it. My B'more girls (and RayRay) can attest to my growing SPF knowledge. Hootie hoo!
On the home front (many have been asking about it, and I thank you for your interest), we haven't gotten any word yet about either Pepper or Estelle. Justin's real estate agent (and good friend from grade school) gave us an update yesterday that we should hear back in yet another 14 days. We're trying not to get our hopes up, but a yes OR no would be great sometime SOON! Please, real estate gods, please let us know!
So, if you're planning a visit sometime soon, you can picture a new house and a visit to a newly discovered winery. And if those two don't pan out, then you can picture a new bottle of wine in a newly decorated guest room. :) And if THAT doesn't pan out (which would mean I'm broke and homeless), then you can picture me, a bottle of wine, and a paper bag. Let's hope it doesn't get to that! Have a fabulous Hump Day!

Monday, August 11, 2008

Golfs-R-Us

I played golf for the first time! I've been nervous about playing because Justin's so freaking good, but we decided on Sunday to play a three par course down the road from us. It was crazy hot and I got quite the sun burn, but I had a great time. I'm a wicked putter (though I already knew it was in my blood, Chizik PuttPutt what?!). The rest I'll need to work on, but it was super nice how patient and understanding the Loomis crew were with me. Justin stayed home to try to break into his car (it's been sitting in the driveway for over a week now because he misplaced the FAB), so it was Justin's brother and sister--Mason and Carmel--her boyfriend Grey; their dad, Mark; Sean, my date for the day; and me! My favorite shot was when I "put a little mustard on it" and whacked the thing into a tree two feet away. It ricocheted off the trunk and flew off at a 90 degree angle. I couldn't have made that shot again if I tried.

Maybe we can go more often and I can try my hand at a real course. Or maybe I'll just stick to the mini guys.

Friday, August 8, 2008

Lackluster

I've lost my love for this blog momentarily. Any suggestions as to how to gain that back?

ALSO, new SprayFoam Magazine dropped this past Friday. Let me know if you want a copy! (Not in a store near you.)

And, my friend Brian Oliu from LoCo has an essay published in an anthology that I used to have to buy every semester for school. Go Brian! How fun to be in the writing field.