violetismycolor

Twinkletoes!

Cool thing happened to me today.  I was at my hairdresser's and was telling her about my dad's death.  After a couple of minutes of chat, she said to me,  "Okay, Twinkletoes...come over here and let's wash your hair."

Twinkletoes?

"Why did you call me that?" I asked.

"It just popped into my head,"  she said.

I told her, "That's what my dad always used to call me...because when I was a little girl, I used to walk on my toes and wanted to be a ballerina."

I think it was just my dad letting me know that he heard me talking about him and he's listening!

How cool is that?

new phone...

 

Both my phone and my Palm are sliding towards the battery abyss and so I have been looking for a new phone.  I got this cool new phone (very much like an iPhone) yesterday.  It uses Outlook for its calendar.  I found a program that could take all my Palm data and transfer it to Outlook...and it only took about 2 minutes.  Awesome.

This phone is a real treat.  Yay...

me???

I have started a new project of scanning in all my album photos.  The one I did today is my childhood albums.  Can't believe how dorky I could look...

weekend disco party...

school uniforms...

I went to a Catholic school for many years (St. Pius V in Buena Park) and we had the traditional Catholic school uniforms.  I actually liked them.  I liked that I always knew what I was going to wear, every day, and I wasn't going to have to fuss over it.  My mom loved it, having the bajillions of kids she did, because we were all wearing the same thing and she didn't have to buy us as many clothes.

Our colors were blue and white.  We had cute plaid skirts, white blouses with Peter Pan collars, and blue cotton sweaters to wear over them.  

But they were nothing like the photo below, which according to the BBC Online (where I got this photo) are 'traditional South Korean school uniforms'.  Can you imagine going out in these every day?  They look like little wizards...

breathe in...

I took my Dad to the pulmonologist today.   They made him walk up and down the hall, wearing a little blood-oxygen monitor on his fingertip.  He actually did well on all his tests, the one today and the two last week.  His lungs are functioning well. 

So, why can't he breathe?  

Many things all working together and several things that still need to be tested and resolved.  He needs some physical therapy.

Fingers crossed...

and back to the old pressures...

Weekend:  Fly back from Fiji.  Feeling the love.

Monday:  Car battery dead.  Can't get to my coffee group so that I can celebrate life.

Tuesday:  Dad's chemo day.  Doc reports fluid in his lungs.  Worries about his heart.  Schedules a whole day of tests for next week.

Wednesday:  Templating for new bathroom countertop put off because of problem with angle of the bathtub.  Panic ensues.  Loaner car at car dealership not available so must put off having car fixed.  Annoyance ensues.  Bedroom torn up and stuff piled everywhere.  Stress ensues.

Thursday:  ???

Saturday night is alright...

John and I went out to a political event. Jeff Merkley is running for U.S. Senate, hoping to unseat the Republican incumbent, Gordon Smith. It was in Chinatown and the delicious margaritas were coming by the pitcher. I had a lot of fun, chatting with folks. Then, a couple of new folks joined the group...one of whom said he had graduated from Willamette University, where Adam had spent his first two years. And, OF COURSE, the young man (Cole) was a good friend of Adam's. What a small world...not only that in Portland, but...this young man lives in Washington, DC, currently, working for Congresswoman Darlene Hooley. He was in town visiting his identical twin brother, who works for Jeff Merkley.

We went out afterward and had some delicious Chinese food...it WAS Chinatown, after all. We called Adam and told him that we had just met one of his friends; had a good laugh about it.

Then arrived home the same time as Bonnie did (she had just arrived in town for spring break the night before), who had just gone out with a friend to see "Miss Pettigrew".

Great evening, overall.

organization...

Why do I get such great delight in spending time organizing my iTunes Library? Every so often, mostly on a random Saturday morning, I will decide to do iTunes work. I go through my songs, filling in the information that is missing. This includes making sure I have identified which album it is from, finding the album art that goes with each song, putting it into the right music category (rock/pop/oldies/etc.), and just doing general clean-up. Do I have multiples of a song? (And how did that happen?)

I have all sorts of playlists. And these get manipulated at this time as well. I like to have several choices of types of music to listen to...is it time for 'love songs'/'oldies'/'walking music'/'dance to it'/etc.?

This sort of organization gives me an odd sense of satisfaction. I feel the same way when I re-organize my drawers or cupboards. Just an odd quirk of mine...

yummy...

I got to go out to lunch today with my friend, Maureen Gonzales.  We chose The Veritable Quandry, which I love, not only for it's name, but for the fact that it has been around since 1971 AND the food is always great.  There was a time there when the city threatened to condemn and shut down the VQ so that they could build a city building there, but thankfully that never happened. 

Maureen and I both had the Sweet Potato and Gruyere Quiche, that came with a salad with sliced pears and hazelnuts.  Absolute yum, I'll tell you.

Maureen and I always have such a lot of fun together.  She was Bonnie's physical therapist when she was still in middle school (back issues) and we just clicked and have been friends ever since. 

We both love the VQ but don't go often because our husbands have some weird anti-VQ prejudices.  I just don't get it... 

better...

Now I know why Influenza, i.e. 'the flu', can kill people. I certainly felt like I could die.

But I'm getting better now. The nagging cough and bone-weariness is still around, but overall...I'm better. I even managed to do some laundry and a little housecleaning done today. Yay.

I made an outstanding-smelling Beef Bolognese (recipe from the NY Times Sunday Magazine) for dinner tonight. It took about 4.5 hours to make, so it better be good. I'm planning on freezing half of it for another meal in a couple of weeks.

I read a fabulous book while I was sick. When all you can do is sleep or sit in a recliner, you can do a fair bit of reading. Anyway, I read When Madeline Was Young, by Jane Hamilton. I have always been a BIG Jane Hamilton fan, so it didn't come as any surprise when I found myself unable to put this book down. Her characters are rich and interesting, and always a bit quirky. Her themes are always about families and how they work. Her prose is amazing. It was one of those books that you are so sorry is ended. This was the one upside to getting ill. THE ONE.

sicker.than.a.dog...

Influenza. Bronchitis. Ear Infection. Sinus Infection.

Uggghhhh...

Dutch weddings and other oddities...

What kind of odd and wonderful things happen at EVERY Dutch event (meaning my Dutch family's events) that I attend? Singing of songs: The Happy Wanderer, God Bless America, Daar bij die Molen. Yodeling by Tante Betty. Dancing the Chicken Dance, the Hokey Pokey, and a line dance that wanders through and around various rooms at our venue. The celebrants hoisted onto shouldertops. Guys who put their ties around their heads, pull their pantlegs up and push their socks down...this is usually after many drinks at the open bar have been guzzled. My cousin, Ted, wearing some really odd and cool hat that he has made. And lots of hugs and kisses from all the relatives I haven't seen for quite awhile.

This is exactly the kind of party I attended this weekend to celebrate the 80th birthdays of my Tante Thea and my Uncle Joe. Fun, fun, fun.

The first photo is of my cousins, Carol and Mary Ann, and I at lunch together. The rest are of the party. We DID have fun!

back from the black...

I am finally trying to get back to the blogworld...been busy, crazy, out of touch.

Today, I spent the day with my parents up on the Hill (OHSU Medical Center), getting a series of scans for my dad. Pill Hill, as they call it, it on a hilltop with a road that runs through it in a series of curves and switchbacks that makes finding one's way to the correct buildings very confusing. Thankfully, I knew it somewhat from the years of taking OTHER people there...my sister Joan, when she was having kidney failure; Bonnie, when she had her summer internship in a lab there; my MIL, when she had her cardiologist there; and Adam, when he was working his neurology job there this past summer.

Over the weekend, I was in Cannon Beach with my coffee-friends for our Beach Weekend...full of chatting and eating and shopping. The weather was decent and the company was excellent.

I have another couple of days at home and then I fly to LA for my aunt's 80th birthday. I have lots of relatives that I haven't seen in a few years and I want to touch base.

Cookie continued her doggie weirdness this weekend by refusing to come into the house for anyone and not even coming NEAR anyone but hiding in a corner and refusing to eat. Poor, weird Cookie.

rats...

Beginning February 7, we are entering the Year of the Rat. Now, I was born in a Monkey year, but Adam is a Rat.

Here's what one source says about his people, the Rat people:

In Chinese, the Rat is respected and considered a courageous, enterprising person. People born in the Year of Rat are clever and bright, sociable and family-minded. They have broad interests and strong ability in adapting to the environment and able to react adequately to any changes.

Cunning and thrifty, Rats have a knack with money and are apt to save for rainy days. When capable, the Rat is a great money saver, and in strapped times he knows how to make something out of nothing or how to make things advantageous for himself.

Generally friendly and sociable, the Rat is one of the extroverts of the 12 Animal signs. They have a special gift for easing the minds of others. It is not surprising that Rats have a lot of friends. To the people they love, Rats can be amazingly charitable, popular and supportive. Although Rats like to be in the driver's seat, they do need partners who can keep up with their active lifestyles. Rat people are romantic, and are always happier to have someone to share with.

Sounds like my Adam.

yikes...

My office is a huge mess, and though I should be cleaning and organizing, I am busy looking at resorts in Fiji. John and I are having our 25th wedding anniversary and want to go on a second honeymoon to Fiji. We went to Tahiti on our first one, and this sounds just a bit different. Huzzah for wasting time dreaming!

My brother, Brian, is turning 40 today and had a very nice party last night to celebrate. He got some gag gifts (funny fuzzy fake hair to cover his baldspots and weird OSU santa hats and such) and he was a wonderful sport about it. I would not have been. I just hate that kind of thing, so I tend to insist on going somewhere far away where no one knows me or knows it is my birthday...hence spending 40 in Charleston, and 50 in Scotland. When I am 60, I might have to travel to the moon to get further away.

driving and other things...

Just loved finding this photo of a Beijing fountain.  How awesome is this?  Also, I WANT a pair of those 2008 glasses, they are darling!  Her hat is cute, too...hey, girlie...give those to me, would'ja?

Ross went back to school yesterday and I miss him already.  He is such a lot of fun to have around.  He and Bonnie spent the last 4 days 'hanging out' together on the family room sofas, after having their wisdom teeth out.  They really enjoyed recuperating together. 

Bonnie finally got out of the house today. She took the car to go to Borders to read manga and use up her gift cards.  I'm so glad she's feeling so much better.

Tomorrow is my dad's chemo again, so another long day is in the offing.  He's doing so well, though, and that makes me so happy.

darn it...

Gosh darn it!  I am getting a cold AND Oregon State is really doing a lousy job at the Emerald Bowl tonight.  Can't something go right?

click and watch the doggie and the snow...

Cookie and the snow on Christmas Day. Wee....

second cousins...

I got a Christmas letter from one of my (49) first cousins.  Reading along about how and what his kids were doing was interesting.  But then I read that his daughter was going to Gonzaga next year on a volleyball scholarship.  My niece Maria goes to Gonzaga on a basketball scholarship.  Now, these two girls don't know each other, but they ARE second cousins. 

So, I called Maria to tell her and she told me that one of her other team-mates (who is also of a Dutch background) ALSO had a second cousin coming on a volleyball scholarship.  Seems it is the SAME girl.  I'm still waiting to see how their relationships are different.  I am assuming that this other girl is related through my Uncle Jos, who is married to my mother's sister.  I think that they are both this girl's second cousins but from opposite sides of her family...small world!