Saturday - 4/21/12

Saturday - 4/21/12

Tracye and Christian in Vegas
Drop off stuff at Tracye's using Truck
Drop off Truck at Charles'
Ride bus back to Tracye's
71 is running late.
Get there 5 minutes after the kids.

Babysitting!

Friday - 4/20/12

Friday - 4/20/12

Woke up laying on the couch, with my head on a pile of clean laundry and the remains of last night's dinner on the coffee table in front of me.  I'm totally disgusted.  I can't keep living like this!  It just isn't working!  I feel like I keep slipping farther and farther behind on doing the things I need to do!

Moved into the bedroom and set my phone alarm for an hour and a half.  I won't trust my ipod alarm again until I've changed the battery.  One more thing to do that hasn't gotten done.

Having trouble waking up.  A part of me just wants to stay in bed!
I'm finally up and trying to figure out what I need to do before I leave.
So nice to have the leeway of having a vehicle!  I'm so glad I got to sleep later!

Charles said he might want to pick the truck up today.  So, I need to bring my scooter, backpack and everything I'd need for getting home on the bus with me today and make sure not to bring extra things that wouldn't ride well on the bus.  No laptop today!

I'm leaving 15 minutes later than I wanted to, but still within a range I consider good.
Made the bank deposit and still got to the Yoga Center on time for when I like to arrive!
Maybe I'm learning how to do this!

During yoga I start realizing while things aren't getting done, in a way my life is still getting better, like I'm on a higher level of not moving forward?  There are shelves for the outside, etc..

I've been thinking lately about the fact that I don't have any kind of a back-up / emergency fund, or a tax fund.  That stuff shouldn't depend on credit cards.  The companies could cancel anyone anytime.  You can't depend on that.  Right now, I have two checks to deposit.  One from my work last night and a $100 check for the work I do posting ads.  That check came way late.  The pay period I normally use it in has come and gone.  I had enough income without it this time.  I'd like to try depositing that check every month directly into my savings account.  That would act both as a reserve and a fund for tax time.  I'm not sure I'm at a point I can do that, and my work with event solutions may be over until fall, I know Charity auctions are seasonal.  So, there probably won't be income from that source after the one I have scheduled for May.  I might end up having to use this check cover bills some months, but I'm at a good enough point to try, and that's exciting!

After yoga class I go to the bank and deposit the one check into my checking account and the other into my savings account.

I've been trying to figure out what I want to do with my grandkids on Sunday.  I've been wanting a full day with them when Christina didn't have to go to school.  Now that I have that, I'm not sure where we should go!  It would be silly to just stay home!  I finally decided to check and see if the livingsocal deal for the San Diego Animal Park from a few days ago is still available.  I didn't get it then partly because it would still be $42 to take myself and the kids, plus gas, and partly because of the distance.  I just wasn't sure about driving for an hour and a half to get somewhere on our day together.  Now, though, I'd much rather go there than a regular zoo and I've never been there and would like to see it!  I check as soon as I can get to a computer.

Well, that didn't work.  The deal is over.

What I'd really like to do is to take them to Disneyland.  I love Disneyland and I'd love to share that with them.  I took Christina right before her 3rd birthday (when she was free and I had an annual pass).  I'm not sure Logan's ever been and his 3rd birthday is coming up in June.  It would be a great thing to do!  I'm not allowed to do that in my budget though.  It's way too expensive to pay for Christina and I to get in.  I decide to make an attempt anyway.  I post on my facebook page and one of my friend's lists asking if anyone works at Disneyland and could get us in on Sunday.  I figure it is a lot to ask, but it's worth asking.  That would be terrific!

I think I've checked my email 10 times in the last 15 minutes.  I thought it was a much longer time frame than that, but I just looked and it's been only 15 minutes since I posted the request.  I have to be ok with this not working.  It would be lovely if we could go though!

Thursday - 4/19/12 - Got a Parking Ticket!

Thursday - 4/19/12

Getting up at 4:30 to leave by 5:30 seems easy now, where it used to be the earliest wake up time.
Bringing the rest of the laundry (2 loads)

Feels like I'm missing something.  Not bringing backpack.
I've gone over the things I need for tonight twice (suit, clothes, etc)

Made the kids to go a store in downtown orange I like - bought dried beans (heavy stuff) and raisins for us.  They liked helping scoop the food out of the bins.

Went next door to the gluten free market was hoping they'd have the vegan jello, but they didn't.

Fed the ducks with the kids

After Tracye got home I changed, left, put gas in the truck, went to trader joe's for some food - bought too much!  3 items!  ouch!

THEN, I noticed the parking ticket!
double ouch!

Glad I left the GPS in Charles' truck!

The event is at Creiver Auto museum.
I've wanted to go there.
It's underway when I get there.

I love the cars!  I wish they were more visible!  I'm going to have to visit some other time!
The event is for South Coast Repertory Theater.

Great music!  Enjoyed the evening!
Got to take a flower centerpiece and bundle of balloons home
Couldn't have done that from a bus.

Got out of there at 11pm

What am I going to do with balloons?
Why did I take them?
Love them though!

It isn't much farther to stop at my daughter's on the way home.  Stopped there and tied the balloons outside. They will know who they were from.

Sat down to finish my dinner and watch beakman's world, fell asleep on the couch

Wednesday - 4/18/12

Wednesday - 4/18/12

Not feeling good
Not sure if I'm able to borrow the truck or not, or when
Can't call Charles this early.
Took temp 99.8
Laid down for a bit
Thinking about canceling work.
Realized a couch is being delivered today so I can't cancel.

Called Charles - he said I could pick it up today, my choice of before or after work
I can't think.  Can't figure it out.
I tell him I'll call him back later and let him know.
I go back to sleep.
Wake up, I think I can sleep a little bit longer if I borrow the truck.  Decide to borrow it before work.
Go to sleep.
Wake up.  Have to get moving.
Check Google Maps.
It says I have to leave soon if I want to get there in time to see people before leaving.
Try Metro.net, but unsure enough about the bus stops that don't want to chance their routes, and doesn't buy me that much, in fact extra time may be the time to the bus, that site doesn't take that into consideration.

Take 128 a different way.
ask the bus driver to tell me when the exit is, he gave me a map.
The map says it's right after the 605.  Soon after the 605 I pull the stop cord, but that isn't the right stop.
It's almost a mile down!
It's easy from here.  I didn't know the long beach 91, 92, and 93 all come out to here!

Get to Charles', end up asking to lay down for 20 minutes before I go.

Work - internet guy here again
   no couch!

Home - so glad to not have to ride the bus!

Tuesday - 4/17/12

Tuesday - 4/17/12

Taking a long time to get around
Went to Farmer's Market
No organics
asked the one guy about organics he made a ug and turned and walked away
bought some non-organic fruit
walked down it all again
asked one more place about organics (looked more professional with a t-shirt with the farm name on)
they said they are all organic and showed me their certs
I told them they need a sign saying that.
They said they have one and put it up for the other markets, but at this market no one cares.
I pointed out that I care and I almost didn't ask.
It didn't phase them.
We had a conversation about the fact the neighborhoods around are Hispanic, Korean, or Indian and none of those cultures care yet about organics.
I asked about golden beets.
They said they raise them, but people at this market don't want them so they don't bring them.
I pointed out that I'm here and want them.
I asked if I could call them the weeks I'll be here and ask them to bring some.  She said they often sell out over the weekend, at that farmer's market.
They even pointed out one other customer who goes to them because she wants organics
I told them once again that they should put a sign up
they said no one here cares.

I bought my vegetables.  She asked me if I had my own bag, I said yes.
She said she only asked because the people at her other markets bring their own bags so she thought I might.

End up re-packing into backpack and leaving.

Old guy getting off bus... kind of blocking way for a different old guy getting on

Take bus to Indian section, only a block away from the Indian grocery I like to shop at!
Shopped, ran into yc student there, talked for awhile
worried about time.
Nothing to worry about, way early.

Went down the street hoping for another market to look in, hadn't bought one item I'd wanted.
no indian things on this side of the street!

Really thirsty.  Water is packed under cabbage!
Found another bus stop, don't want to go past this one, still at least 20 minutes before next bus.
Starbucks here.
Went looking through 99 cent store.
Bought water and water bottles with clips.

Same old guy getting onto bus here, must have been to drug store or something.

Caught bus back to my bus stop, then scooter home.

Monday - 4/16/12

Monday - 4/16/12

Caught late 460
Caught early 43 - pulled in right after 460 left
might catch 55
didn't catch 55 was right in front of us!
try catching it on 17th street - did!
figured out by checking route times that I'm catching an earlier bus by doing that section by scooter!
Debate about doing deposits
Did deposits
Nice to do the ride into the YC in the morning
Total difference in how everything looks and what is around depending on time of the morning -20 minutes later is so different!

Went to my Chiropractor
Then to Mother's Market
into Avalon Early - wanted to sleep - guy was here working on internet
Felt awkward about having to leave at 6
Bus home
Went to Wilson street bus stop because of the wind

Caught the 460 just in time

Sunday - 4/15/12

Sunday - 4/15/12

I slept over at Alex's last night. He has this amazing house he calls Gemini manor. His house is this ever changing ever growing art piece of his, with amazing bits and pieces of rescued, repurposed stuff in hundreds of nooks and crannies, scattered all across the place it's one of the places you should see when you are in la. Laying here in the morning I'm enjoying the sunlight from the window playing on all the pieces in this room. There's a lovely fairy up hiding near a flower lamp. The light isn't catching her. I wonder if it does some other time in the day?

I haven't seen Alex in ages. He takes me through his place, showing me all of the new wonders he's added to this wonderful creation he lives in. He introduces me to all of the neighborhood stray cats too We went out for a picnic brunch. It's been nice having this time away, but it's time for me to go. I check google maps to make sure I should go home the same way I came up. It says yes. I ask Alex to point me to where to catch the red line. We have a bit of a moment. He tells me I should be asking for the subway station. I hadn't thought of that. He's right though. That will make it easier if I ever have to ask anyone else.

Getting to and finding the subway station was easy. Finding the red line was easy too. Oops! Maybe a little too easy! I'm down where you catch the red line and I've somehow walked in without using my tap card and paying them. Nothing to do but trudge back upstairs with my heavy pack and awkward set up and pay for the ticket. Somewhere along the way here I'd had the realization that while my black bag is too bulky to strap onto my backpack, it's only holding my raincoat and I can probably spread my raincoat out more than it is in the bag and could probably clip that on top of the backpack. I'd been going to wait till I was on the train to do the re-shuffling. But, it's Sunday and the trains aren't running as frequently. So, I decide to do it now and hope the train doesn't come while I'm in the middle of doing it. There! It's done! Now I just have the backpack and scooter to carry! The red line train gets here, the door opens and it's packed inside. I see the silliness of having waited where everyone else was. I decide to try for a different train entrance. It's door is closing as I come up to it. I automatically stick my scooter handle into the door to signal it to re-open. That was easy! I'm proud of myself for doing it so easily! This train car is full too, though not as full as the other one.

I sit down next to a lady and her daughter. At one of the stops a man gets on and hands everyone pens with a note on the package saying he is deaf and asking for a one dollar donation. I don't have any extra change, in fact I've been wondering if I have enough for the bus. He made change for my five. After he left, I asked the little girl if she liked to draw and gave her the pen. It's one of those that have four colors. I would have loved that when I was a kid! I'm off the subway and need to find where to catch the bus. This is the part I'm not sure of. How to get out of here and to the bus stop the subway has exits to a few different streets. Google had said I needed a flower street bus stop and there are signs to a flower street exit. So I go there. Ok. Neither of these streets are flower street and there is some huge bike thing happening. They have roads blocked off with bikes riding by. I wonder what that's going to do to the bus schedule?