Brother from the Same Mother

The other day I got an email from my brother Fred. Fred is the eldest of Sandy's children. He is 4 years older then me. He lives in Alaska and even though I was in Alaska a few weeks after I discovered that I had siblings, we did not meet up at that time, even though it was just a few hours from where he lived.

That was July 2010.

I have talked to Fred a few times on the phone but we've never met. He decided to do a road trip and drove to Eureka to see Tess, our sister.  Michael lives there too but there is bad blood between them. Well, we are going to meet tomorrow! Fridays are my half day so he will be coming down to meet me in the afternoon. I'm excited and a little nervous but I'm sure it will be fine. Since he is the oldest, I'm sure he has a different perspective on everything. We will go to dinner and then on Saturday, we will go to Santa Cruz to meet up with Uncle Steve. 

Sunday is the Sting concert.  It's at 8:00 pm. I'm not sure if I'm going to go. Originally, I thought we would be out of school but we're in session until June 6th which is next Thursday.  I feel like a fuddy duddy but it's hard to get up at 5:45 am after a night out.  I'll decide tonight and then most likely sell the tickets. Until next time...

You Can Go Your Own Way

Tonight I'm going to see Fleetwood Mac at the HP Pavilion in San Jose with D. I'm looking forward to it and even took 1/2 day off to go.

Funny, I surveyed my coworkers and many of them did not know who they are. Mostly anyone under 25 years old.  Some had heard of Stevie Nicks. Makes me feel old. D bought the tickets since she is a big fan and she's 10 years younger then me.

We are also scheduled to see John Mayer and then Sting after that. What's cool about seeing Sting is the venue is brand new AND Sting is the first artist to play there. Should be lots of fun!

Until next time...

Fat Cat?

Ever since I've had the kittens, I have been free feeding them, meaning they have a endless supply of food. I could not imagine feeding them all separately. Otto is the alpha when it comes to food and I guess it shows.

Otto: 12lbs.
Bogey: 11.6 lbs.
Cindy: 10.8

They are active and I play with them morning and night. They are still growing and have been eating enriched kitten food so maybe that makes a difference but we shall see.

Do you have an overweight pet? Should I be concerned?

Until next time...

 

Stretching Me Out

The kids have been extra rowdy since school is almost out.  I had three different kids make comments about my belly - the little ones think I'm pregnant and the Kinders know but they asked me why I have two chins and why is my face so round. I know there just kids but it got to me last week so I had to excuse myself from the classroom and cried. I have still not come up with a suitable response. I'm going to ask one of the nicer teachers how I should respond.  They are SUPER smart kids but they lack on social skills.

I have been making a point of stretching daily. What a BIG difference in how I feel and it helps my aches and pains.  I also have been using my foam roller. It reminds me of the evil bands. It hurts to use them but they make a big difference in stretching out my sore muscles. I experience leg and foot cramps from all the walking at work. Plus it is a time to relax and just breathe. I spend so much time over thinking things that its hard for me to calm my mind so this has really helped me to stop for a few minutes and just breathe...

Yesterday was hard. My mom has gone downhill and it's getting harder to see her like that. I think she may have had another stroke because she is weak on her right side. No one has confirmed it but she is exhibiting all the signs. I  going to follow up with her doctor.

I think she's just done. Honestly, I don't blame her and plan on telling her that its okay. That my dad will be there to greet her. I don't want her to suffer anymore and be in any more pain. 

Until next time...

Bogey 1st Birthday

I found Bogart on July 5, 2012 and I brought him to the vet that day. He estimated he was about 9 weeks old so I decided his birthday is May 5th.

The "kids" dressed up for the occasion and there were party favors too.

We'll celebrate on July 5th too 😺

Capt. America

Minnie Mouse

Party favors

Spring in my hood

My complex is full of beautiful flowers. Here are a few of them.

The last two are new to my porch. Don't you just love the purse!!!!

Crazy Cat Lady?

I was watching Big Bang Theory last Thursday and Raj had a stroller (pink) for his Yorkie, Cinnamon. It made me look at Kitty strollers and this is what I bought. Am I a crazy cat lady? I am hoping it will be fun and I will get exercise. I will get it next week so I will let you all know how they liked it?

 

 

 

 

 

I have had laryngitis all week. One of the 4 year old preschoolers asked me what happened to my voice and I told him I lost it. His reply was "Do you know who took it??" Too cute eh? Until next time...

 

Make Me Up

When I was in my teens and early 20s, I wore makeup. Raise your hand if you remember blue eyeliner lol. Then I kind of grew bored with it and didn't wear any for years.

Over the last few years, I am noticing more and more lines and wrinkles and redness from rosacea.  I prefer powders vs. liquid makeup but I felt like it was messy and time consuming. I also have dry skin so wearing powders seem to accentuate the dryness. I decided to try Bare Minerals again. I used it before but it was expired. I went into their local store and they made up my face and showed me exactly how to apply it and what products would address my issues.

Well the day after I visited the store, I tried the new techniques and was actually told by one gal at work that I looked "radiant" and another said "how beautiful my face looked"  Who knew that a little makeup could brighten me up and make me feel less self-conscience about my eternally red face.

It isn't cheap but I feel good about the company, the product and the contents of their makeup

Next time I visit them I want to learn how to do a smoky eye!



From their website:

bareMinerals Makeup and bareMinerals Skincare were created to enhance your skin from the outside in.*For years, we’ve researched the power and potential of minerals to nourish, energize and renew—our 24-hour mineral care system is purposefully designed to continuously bring these benefits to you. Every mineral in our proprietary formulations is carefully selected to deliver proven results. bareMinerals Makeup utilizes naturally derived minerals to give you exceptional long-lasting coverage, breathable lightweight wear, rich pigmentation with creamy blendability, and broad-spectrum UVA/UVB sun protection. ActiveSoil Complex, the exclusive ingredient in our bareMinerals Skincare line, incorporates a comprehensive blend of potent macro and micro minerals to increase cell turnover, improve luminosity and help your skin defend against environmental stressors. Best of all, we created all of our mineral formulas to work together in harmony to improve your complexion instantly and over time, day and night.

As the mineral experts, we believe makeup and skincare should not only make you look good, but they should also be good for your skin. That’s why we started the mineral makeup revolution with our award-winning Original SPF 15 Foundation, and it’s the reason minerals remain an essential part of every innovation that we develop for your skin. Experience the transformative power of bareMinerals.

* affecting surface layers of the skin


 

Color Me Surprised!

I wear a lot of silver jewelry. I love gold but don't have the budget for it. With silver comes tarnish. I have used the cloths that come with the jewelry and also a few different polishing solutions. They worked okay at best. I have my Tiffany jewelry cleaned by them but they send everything out to NY.

I decided to Goggle a local jeweler that I could use and found a forum where a gal named Kat had posted the following recipe:

• Warm tap water
• Rock salt/table salt/baking soda
• Strips of aluminum foil

Put the above ingredients in a jar with a lid. Place items to be cleaned in the jar. I placed two necklaces that were pretty tarnished. Just shake the jar intermittently and watch the tarnish disappear. There is a chemical reaction between the foil and salt. For heavily tarnished items you will need to treat them longer. One item I did in the first test was pretty bad but was good to go in about 20 minutes.

Before

Small Jar

Small square of foil

Tear into small squares

Add salt (or baking soda)

Add hot tap water



After



I also tried it on a few more chains and pendants. I was a little concerned about the stones but they came out wonderful! I also had did a pair of earrings that I've had for over 10 plus years and they came out great too. I will show you pictures soon.

Until next time...

When Did I Become the Adult

Back in December, I alluded to the fact that there was a tragedy that happened. It really rocked me to my core. First, my best friends mother passed away from lung cancer on December 1st. Then, 3 weeks later, her husband died on Christmas Day. They did not discover he had passed until the 27th. We got there right as the coroner was leaving. It was a very disturbing discovery to say the least. That's how I came to foster the kittens. My friend has a senior cat that would not be able to tolerate the "kids" and they are only 3 months younger then Bogey. They have totally bonded with. Bogey :-)

Needless to say, it was earth shattering for D. Fortunately, we have a good group of friends that helped with the moving and closure of their residence. It was an eye opening experience for me and it also prepared me for what I will need to do when the time comes. There are so many details to attend to!

We put together a memorial for both of them last Sunday. I wrote the obit for D and got the word out for her. We went shopping and a lot of people brought food too. It turned out beautiful and I was so glad there was a big turn out. I got pretty emotional though and left in the afternoon. I did not want to upset D so I felt it was better to excuse myself.

I know that I am an adult and have dealt with adult things but it seems like all of a sudden we became the next generation. Being in charge of my moms affairs and then helping D has really made me feel stronger about how I'm handling my life and affairs.

My weight is still in a holding pattern. Still 255 which I have been for way too long. While I'm glad I'm maintaining, I really need to start focusing on weight loss again. I recently lost my Fitbit so I upgraded to the Fitbit One. I will do a full review soon but it has the same capabilities as the previous version but this one updates via Bluetooth to both my laptop and my phone! Up to the minute data helps makes make it easier to know how to manage the calorie bank.

I miss you all tons and wish I could blog regularly like before but I can't seem to get in a grove with it. I know I am better emotionally when I can come here and vent. Thanks for sticking in there with me.

Until next time...

How I Feel Today

After Awhile

 

After a while
you learn the subtle difference between holding a hand and chaining a soul
and you learn love doesn't mean leaning and company doesn't always mean security.
And you begin to learn that kisses aren't contracts and presents aren't always promises
and you begin to accept your defeats with your head up and your eyes ahead with the grace of a woman, not the grief of a child.
And you learn to build all your roads on today because tomorrow's ground is too uncertain for plans and futures have a way of falling down in mid-flight.
After a while you learn that even sunshine burns if you get too much
So you plant your own garden and decorate your own soul instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers
And you learn that you really can endure, that you really are strong and you really do have worth and you learn and you learn
with every good-bye you learn.

 

 

Veronica A. Shoffstall

 

 

 

Goodbye Gail and Tom. We will always have our Memories.

Light Me Up

I have always lived in apartments in Santa Clara that lacked proper overhead lighting. Lamps help but it always seems to be an issue. The other day while shopping at Costco, I found a set if 6 LED lights that came with a remote and 20 batteries. I have tried Tap lights but the never seemed to stick or did not last for very long. These lights are guaranteed for 100K hours.

I put four of them in my bedroom closet and two in the hallway closet. Up to 24 of them can be controlled by one remote. I think I will pick up another pack of six to brighten up the bedroom closet more. If they are not at Costco, I also know I could get them at Amazon.

Tonight I'm making 48 cupcakes for my coworkers for Spring/Easter. I am just using box mix and Frosting creations. The base is plain and then you add the flavor you want. I got Strawberry shortcake since it is pink. We have Spring Break next week so no school. Wahoo!!! Plus my Fridays are half days so the countdown begins. Until next time...

Masked Madness

How are you doing? I'm doing pretty okay for a Monday. I did drink a few cocktails yesterday. Did not overeat though. We had a friend that passed away last Thursday and apparently the word had not gotten around. I ended telling like six different people Sam had passed. There were some other folks that had not been around for a long time so I had to tell them another friend of ours died and she's been gone for a few years. It was just weird...

I have been using my CPAP machine religiously but I have always struggled with the masks leaving marks on my face for HOURS after I take it off. I hate it! Well, the have come out with a newer version that has less straps and is not nearly as cumbersome. It's called the Wisp. Same price but way better. I am hoping one day I can ditch the damn thing.

I'm overdue for tests at the doctor. We are on Spring break next week so I plan to get ALL the overdue tests out of the way then. Until next time...

Puzzle Pieces

Happy Friday! It's been a good week back to work. I really missed the kids. They bombarded me with hugs and it felt good to be missed. One of the problem children that I had a number of incidents with got expelled so that made it a lot better. He had kicked, hit, scratched and spit on me! Pretty sad for a 5 year old in my humble opinion.

When my bio sister, Tess and I met, she gave me my original certificate of birth. I was doing some filing the other day and ran across it. I saw that it had a San Jose address so I decided to go check it out. I Google Earthed the address so I knew in advance what it looked like. It is across the street from Bill Wilson Center which makes a lot of sense. Bill Wilson is one of the cofounders of Alcoholics Anonymous and there are two centers here locally that provide counseling for both adults and youth.

It is interesting to be able to piece the timeline of my youth after all these years. It has forever changed me and sometimes I think I opened a can of worms but all in all I'm glad I searched and glad I found out all I did. I know a lot of reunions don't work out so I'm grateful.

It's going to be a nice springlike weekend. Need to dust Phoebe off and get out in the fresh air. Sunday I will have my annual corned beef sandwich. Don't do cabbage and don't like boiled potatoes so that will save calories. I don't really want to drink so I can avoid those extra calories too. Until next time...

Facing the Music

Hello! Good God it's been forever since I've posted! I have had so many posts brewing in my head and I need to get back to blogging badly.

I was off of work the last two months. My mom has gotten stronger everyday but the dementia has gotten worse. She is in the beginning stages of Alzheimer's. She still recognizes me but not every time. I took the opportunity to tell her how much I love her, thanked her for being my mommy and my friend. I told her I'm so grateful for her and my dad and the fact they adopted me and gave me such a wonderful life. I told her I am a good person because of her and my dad's guidance. As difficult as it was to have that conversation, I am glad I had the opportunity to say it to her while she is still able to understand. One of the hardest things I've ever had to do but well worth it.

During the time off, I gained 8 lbs. basically a pound a week. It was beer and French fries I tell ya. I'm already down 3 lbs. since going back to work. At work, I'm walking 5 miles a day at a minimum so that really helps. I didn't weigh myself until the end of last week because I was a little worried but it is so much better to know. That is how my weight got out of control before. That and elastic waistbands.

I'm still fostering the kittens. It's a full house but they are pretty entertaining. Bogey made friends with them and they all have fun together. Bogey is 10 months old and the kids are 7 months. The big drawback is the litter box since they are indoor but they live much longer that way. It's worth it to me in the long run.

That is about all for now. I really want to post regularly again but since I'm not in front of a computer anymore, it makes it more difficult but I need to get back in the grove. Right now I'm using my iPad Mini. Seems to work okay so far. Until next time...

Livin' on a Prayer

Thanks for checking in on me EC. I am hanging in there but I have had a rough go lately. I don't have the energy to explain everything right now but I will in time. I will post again soon. Lots of love to all of you!

Sweetie Darling

I have been a long time Splenda user. I was diagnosed with Diabetes in 1997 and have used artificial sweeteners forever but I was worried about all the chemicals. Well, I discovered a new product from C&H Light.

From their website: C&H® Light is an all natural pure cane sugar and stevia blend with half the calories of sugar. That's over a 350-calorie savings in each cup! By blending pure cane C&H® Sugar with a naturally sweet extract from the stevia plant, we have created a delicious sweetener with no artificial ingredients. C&H® Light is the ideal sweetener — a perfect sweet taste and half the calories of sugar!

I like it and feel better using it because there are no chemicals. It tastes good and I barely could tell the difference from the Spenda.

Until next time...

P.S. one of the Kindergarten girls calls me Sweetie Darling :-)

Tools That Help

Well I had the Fitbit on but did not track my food. I waited too long to eat dinner and ate too much Gnocchi. It was really good though.

I have had trial and error with the different cat products. One that has been a true life saver is the Litter Genie. It works like a Diaper Genie but for kitties. Instead of schlepping kitty stuff to the garbage daily, I can do it weekly. When it was just Bogey it would be two weeks!

I promise I'm not becoming a cat blog! I just thought I would share the product that is helped me so much lately. Until next time...

Full House

Happy New Year! Hope you all had a decent break. Mine was not what I expected but it is what it is. As a result of one of the occurrences, I am care taking two kitties. Their names are Otto (gray) and Cindy (black) They are 6 months old and Bogey is 9 months. The first few days were chaos but they seemed to have settled down a little. Could be because Bogey has a patch of fur missing from them scuffling. I can't keep them permanently but I will keep them until we figure out what to do with them. They are siblings so we want to keep them together.

My mom is doing okay. I don't think their will be much improvement with her health but she is getting physically stronger everyday.

I am wearing my Fitbit and logging food again. My successful weight loss happens when I'm tracking and since I'm back to work, I'm back to walking 5 miles a day. I gained 5 lbs. during the holidays but I have no doubt it will come back off again now that my schedule is semi normal again.

I'm really hoping to post more regularly. I do much better when I blog both mentally and physically. Plus I totally miss blog land and reading about you all. Until next time...