Knitting & Losing

July 30, 2006

Don't ask me why I'm reading this today of all days, but one of the reasons I love LA is this ~ Tacos! I'm not talking about a fried hard shell corn tortillas with assorted meats and toppings, they have their place in Mexican cuisine, but I'm talking about more traditional Mexican soft tacos. They are made with smaller (usually 3 ") corn tortillas that are grilled lightly to soften them, and then they are made with 2 tortillas stacked, with a meat of your choosing, like carne asada (marinated beef), al pastor (a meat that is cooked on a spit and then shaved off and grilled, usually pork I think, carnitas (pork, that is marinated often in an orange juice marinade with spices, etc, and then often fried in a copper bowl and then roasted) and then there are the grosser toppings (in my opinion) of lengua (tongue), cabeza (beef brains, no, I'm not kidding), tripa (cow stomach) and then topped with chopped cilantro, white onion and a salsa or roja or you top them with your own preference of chili/salsa. They are often served with lemon to squeeze over before eating, and also they serve them with chopped radishes and pickled jalapeno with onion and carrots. My favorite are the carnitas and the carne asada. And I have my favorite spot called Tacos Mexico. They have Taco Tuesday every week and the tacos are $.35 a piece, can not beat that. I eat 4-6 of them for lunch and they are yummy. So imagine my delight to find a blog about these types of tacos all over LA. Check it out! And the reason I shouldn't be reading this today is that I'm cleansing today and not eating solid food. But believe me, I'll have some of these on Tuesday!

July 29, 2006

St. Francis is home now.

St. Francis has found a new home at our house. My grandmother had a devotion to St.Anthony and we had a cement St. Anthony in the same spot in the front yard since before I was born. Poor St. Anthony had seen better days. There was the abuse from the elements for the last 40 plus years, and then there was the time that I almost drove our old white van through the front of the house when I was learning to drive. I drove up and over the brick of the flower bed and pinned St.Anthony against the house. I almost gave my poor Father a heart attack at the time too.... And then St.Anthony cracked in half and half of his face fell off. We were shopping with my brother today at a different Mall that we haven't been to in a long while and there was a cute indoor outdoor garden store there and in the front was this lovely statue. And it was on sale! Well, we just loved it and the people were really nice, they gave my mom and even better deal, wrapped it up and carried it out to the van with us. It's not St.Anthony, but we also like St.Francis and we just fell in love with this charming statue. We are going to put bird seed in the basket for the birds. St.Francis is known to be the patron Saint of the animals. I found an interesting biography of St. Francis' life if you are interested.

After the mall we drove by my mom's work, she wanted to show us where she works. We cannot go in to the building because you have to have a security clearance to enter, but now we know where she is. And then we went by the cemetery, got flowers for Dad and went to see him. It's been muggy and threatening to rain since yesterday but the sun started to come out while we were there.

My official license came in the mail today...woo hoo!! I'm so proud. I'm going to get a frame and display it proudly in my office.

I got a great book in the mail today from a really nice Bookcrosser. So it's time for me to get some books to add to my list and to put out in the wild or give away. If you want to get rid of some books, this is a great way to do it. So I am dying to start reading Stardust by Neil Gaiman. I haven't read any of his stuff yet but heard he's a great writer. And I also want to work on Dixie today and take a nap...whew, so much to do so little time. :)

July 28, 2006

Time has gone by
It never stops
My heart still aches for you
Because now you are gone

How quickly the time went
From when you were first sick
We wanted you well
But it wasn't meant to be

A voice inside told me
He's going home
But we weren't ready
To let you go

I know you are happy now
And your soul is living on
For that I am glad
But our poor bodies on earth
Our hearts are still grieving

So we think of the happy times
The laughs we all shared
And although we miss you
And our hearts have a gaping hole

Our souls are elated
Because we know you made it home.

July 25, 2006

Need your help/opinion...

Hi all! :) Feeling better tonight, and the heat has calmed down, it's still hot, but not so humid and the fan is cooling the air instead of blowing hot air around. OK, so I told you I'd post some pics of Dixie and I just realized that I messed up my own pattern. Or maybe not. See the pics first.

OK, the center square with the green border, in my original design it was suppose to be all green. It would have a seed stitch border and then the stockinette center in green, but I forgot and knit it like the other two. My question is, should I frog it? Or do you like it the way it is. I kind of like it, but really need your opinion/advice. I'd hate to rip it, but if it would improve the looks of it, I'll do it.

The heat made me crabby today and I called a Frito Lay driver an asshole today. :) Well he was, but I'm not usually so out there. I went to have lunch and when I went to leave I could not because a driver had parked right behind me and another vehicle illegally. I waited, thinking he'd come quick, over 10 minutes later and after taking down his license plate# and calling the police, no driver. So I'm waiting for the police, I'm on the phone calling work to tell them why I'm late, and this guy comes out with an inventory tracker, I ask if it's his truck, yeah, real nonchalant, I'm like, you can't just park here, I've been waiting over 10 minutes, I'm late for work. He never apologized, he said, well I was just in there, pointing to a store. I said, so what, I've been waiting for a long time, and then I told him that the police were coming and he says, Oh, that's OK, I know them all.....well, you ASS! I said, oh you do?.... and went to my car and he was in the truck and I looked at him and said, What an asshole...while my coworker is still on the phone... They were teasing me later at work that they couldn't let me out anymore. But the nerve!!! And believe me, Frito Lay will hear about this and I will make my complaint known. I hate cocky, arrogant men like that. If he had said, oh, I'm sorry, I was just in here, let me move, or anything like that, no big deal, but no, he has to spout off...

Am I coming or going?

I did end up going home early on Friday, around 1:30, I felt so awful and what was worse is I got home and I was so restless because of the heat. I couldn't just go to bed and sleep it off. The heat...it was just so permeating and there was no relief. We've never needed Central Air, we've always been able to deal with our room ceiling fans and standing fans, but this heat is different. And so I relaxed and watched TV and felt a little sorry for myself and just felt awful. The migraine went away that evening, but I felt like a truck had hit me. I had chills and probably fever and body aches and then the stomach problems started. I've been a mess this whole weekend. Yesterday I woke up to go to work, woke up feeling fuzzy and just not good. Sat in bed awhile and thought, can I do this today?...and no I could not. So I called into work. I must have a stomach virus. Today I'm at work, but still don't feel well and I'm super tired, I have no energy. My mom has been trying to just figure out what it is....i tell her, I think I just have a stomach bug, but that doesn't seem to be enough, it has to be something else, the heat, depression, my new way of eating, something I ate, something else....but how many times can I say, it's just a virus?...

Today is Taco Tuesday but I don't think i can stomach that...so i'm probably headed to Jack in the Box for their Asian Chicken Salad, yum!!! If you haven't tried it, it is really yummy and very low cal, even with the tasty dressing.

With all this down time the only thing I've been doing is working on Dixie, I have almost the 2nd row of panels done, will have to take a pic and show you, hopefully tonight. I'm still having to deal with all the tangles, can't figure out a better way, but it'll come to me, probably after I finish the thing.

July 21, 2006

Bunco or Bunko??!!

I'm a winner! Yes I am! I was asked to sub at my best friends last night during her Bunko night and I've never played before so it must have been beginner's luck, but I had 5 Bunkos and I won $45 smackeroos! How happy was I!

But I woke up with a migraine today and I almost didn't come to work... :( I just hate this. I really don't feel well but I'll try to stick it out. Going to take Excedrin Migraine right now, see if it'll go away, if not I'm maybe going to head home early.

Thank you all for your well wishes on me passing the exam! It's cool to know that you care.

July 17, 2006

I did it!!

AAAAHHHH! I passed!!!! Insert dancing and hooting crazy woman here! I took my test in Downtown LA today and I started the 150 question exam test and was doing so incredibly well, I thought, something is wrong, I know this question, I know that question, then I hit some that I never heard of, skip them......some were questionable, skip them.....go on and I knew a lot of the material but ended up with I think 21 questions that I wasn't sure or was questionable, went through them slowly, made my best choice and submitted the exam in just under 1.5 hours. That worried me too b/c it's a 3 hour test. But I thought to myself....you did your best, submit the test and get on with it. Then you have to go sit in another room with everyone else who isn't sure they passed. Some were there before me, some after, I waited about 10 minutes. The guy comes in the room and calls my name... yes?....do you have some paperwork for me? (You have to have this prior paperwork put in a sealed envelope which I've had in my car for 3 months)...yes, I do, (and I show it to him), he tells me to put my name on it which I do and then I give it to another guy, he says, is this your paperwork, yes, you've passed, you may leave......alrighty then!!!!!! I was so thrilled. I called my boss before I left the building, then I called my dear Mamacita! It was such a big thing to get off my list and now I feel a little more confident.

While driving into LA I was suddenly saddened by a few things. The maybe only thing that is nice about driving thru downtown LA is this great art that they have on the sides of the concrete. ART! Muralistic. There is a cop, telling you to buckle up, and there is one of a child in play, and just different types of beautiful art.......and since the last time I had to go down there some stupid ASSES, gang people, grafiti people, whatever you want to call them, destroyed this art with their names and gang slogans and CRAP!!!!! It was disheartening. Someone else painted over parts of the ugly graffiti, but the murals are ruined. WHY are people so stupid. WHY do they think we care where they are from or who they represent and WHY don't they respect the town they live in???? If I was a superhero and had no chance of danger, like had a body armor or something, I'd go hang out there all hours and hide and when these stupid people came to destroy what remaining beauty is in LA, I'd fly over them and pour paint all over them in bright pink and purples and orange and then I'd get black glitter and spray it all over them and they wouldn't be able to wash it off.....like ever!!

The other thing was I was getting something out of the back of my car, and a seemingly homeless guy came up to me and started talking about how he has leukemia and he's from Chicago and all he wants is to get something to eat and he can't believe how the government is letting him just die.... I grabbed about 4 bucks and I told him God Bless You and he walked away. Poor people. If I was a superhero I'd be sure to have lots of ones on me too and I'd go buy the food and pass it out and I'd help them any way I could.

So....tonight I'd usually celebrate with a drinkiepoo but I am on an anti-diet which I'm not ready to tell you about except to say that I feel fabulous and I've lost about 6 lbs. So I'm not feeling sorry for myself, but I'm choosing not to drink to celebrate tonight, but I WILL celebrate! And it was the best timing because Yuki is coming over tonight and my friend, Mamacita and I are having a full body massage! Mine is last so I'm going right to bed after it! But I can't wait!

Now I can start working again on Dixie! Woohoo!!!

July 13, 2006

Happy Belated Birthday/Anniversary!

Happy Belated Birthday to Knitting and Losing! I missed my 1 year anniversary. I started this blog last June 17th and I remember thinking, I have to remember that and have a happy birthday/anniversary party....I missed my party! Wow, how things have changed in this last year. I've moved from MN, drove cross country with my Mamacita, began a new life, lost my dear Father, but overall.....I'm home and I'm happy....and I miss my dad.

My cousin sent this to me and warned me that it could make me cry and think of my dad. It's really beautiful, but is something wrong with me, it didn't make me cry?I think nothing but good thoughts of Dad and I just know he's OK. I cry for US because we miss him. Take a look, see what you think. http://www.angeleyes2.com/platinum6/icq86.html

This weekend is crunch time for me. My exam is scheduled for Monday afternoon. I'm not going to work Monday a.m. , I need that morning to prepare and get downtown early and all that. I'm doing well with the studying. I feel much more competent about passing. I'm taking a break tonight and going to dinner with a friend. And I'm getting my face done at the Mac counter today and getting some new brushes and stuff! OOOH, I love that stuff. I'll try to take a pic of my MAC made up face. ;)

It's going to be a scorcher here this weekend, hope wherever you are you are safe and cool!

July 11, 2006

generic post

Don't seem to have much time as of late, so I'm posting just to say I'm around, I'm alive, I'm doing well. Busy studying for that dang insurance test again, hoping to take it at the end of the week or next Monday. Trying to get over my phobia about it, I just HAVE to pass this time, or I don't know what I'll do...

Work is good, family is good. All is good in my world. Haven't been able to touch Dixie in almost a week, and it's killing me, I'd much rather be knitting that studying. My cousin is making me 2 pair of knitted Baby Ugg's. They are the cutest thing. I'll show you pics when I get them.

Been doing some reflecting, some writing in my journal. I really enjoy writing. I'm going to maybe start writing some short stories for myself.

I got some OPI nail polish from ebay that Mamacita thought she wanted but we got it and it's a REALLY DARK burgundy. It's called Lincoln Park after Dark. She didn't like it, but I do. It looks black actually with 2 coats and although it's summer and I usually wear light colors, I'm leaving it on. My brother made a comment about my black nails and I told him I was going Goth. I was going to start wearing black eyeshadow and pasty white foundation and told him I was dying my hair black with bright red streaks. Mom said I was going to start wearing dog collars. He just looked at me. He said to me later in the mall when we were shopping...."Are you really going to dye your hair?" and I told him "Yeah..." I'm a mean sister...

July 6, 2006

Fiddling

As you can see I've been fiddling with my blog settings, adding a new background on top. I'll learn html if it's the last thing i do. It's frustrating but challenging trying to learn this on my own. So in the meantime try to bear with me with my sidebar being on the bottom, etc....

I had the neatest phone call last night from my cyber friend Tori! It was so neat to hear her voice after all this time. She sounded pretty much like I thought she would. She's so nice. I'm interested in using the Isagenix products that she is using, she's also an associate and I may become one too. The more i look into these products the more i like it. So go send Tori some love!

I've started taking some water pills since yesterday because with this heat I'm having a lot of swelling around my ankles and it hurts. So i'm making many potty trips today, but it's feeling better. Another reason i need to start Isagenix.

July 1, 2006

Dixie Pics!

Here's Dixie so far!:

See my mess with the yarn tangle? I'm just going to deal with it because I want to knit this in one piece and then knit a cable top and bottom so there is a cable border all around it.

Mamacita and I had to go to the bank this a.m. to take care of some stuff after my Dad's death, adding me to some accouts, etc. That took forever, then we went and picked up my brother, we took him to the Mall. Very crowded, i'm sure because it's hotter than Hades here and nice and cool inside. I bought two Frederick's bra's (on sale) and I've never worn them before but they had my size and were reasonably priced. I got a pink one and an aqua one. Woowoo! I usually don't do color but I liked these. And then Mom had to get her pants that were tailored for her at Nordstrom and i went to the MAC counter. I got a new nail polish, an eyeshadow in a pretty pink and a neutral pinkie paint eyeshadow. Gosh I love that stuff. I'm getting my whole face done in a couple weeks by one of the MAC girls because i'm getting a limited edition of eyeshadows in a cute pallette and a brush set...I couldn't help it. So I think i'm going to see if my friend will go out with me for a drink that evening since i'll be all made up and cute. ;)

Here's a pic of our crazy cat Tom. He will only go on the cat tree when I put him there, especially up top. Pisses me off since we put that thing together, but i sometimes think he waits for us to leave and then uses it! Makes me feel better.

Hope you are having a cool weekend.

I Bought Gary's Book - Did YOU?