New Jetty

They are building  a new jetty at the cabin.  It looks like it's going to be really nice.  It will be a huge improvement for sure!

Notice Ahi for scale!

Bat Cave

Found this bat in the cabin.  I had walked all around the house opening blinds and curtains and putting stuff away and never noticed it.  I am lucky I didn't step on it!

Found near the slider - key chain for scale

Save the Tatas TNDC

We had our first annual Save the Tata's TNDC last nite.  Grandma Bug was our honorary special guest survivor!  Our menu was:

• Chicken breasts
• Tator Tatas (small and large)
• Antioxidant rich fruits and veggies
• Naked boobie cupcakes

And we raised $75 in donations!

Pontoon Mama

Jim got a call from the administrative folks at the lake yesterday and they told him to come and get the boat out of the water NOW - because the water is so low that people are having a hard time getting their boats out around the mud!

Luckily, we are heading up there this weekend to do just that -- but it's going to be interesting to see if we can get the Pontoon Mama out as we are closer to the edge of the lake  (AKA the mud) then anyone!

Stand by for pics!

It's a wrap

Football season is over.  They closed the season with 6 wins and 3 losses.  This means Grace's football career is over.  It was a great experience for her and really fun to watch.  She clearly earned the respect of the boys on the team and was an equal or better player than most.  I am proud of her for trying something new and something that no other girl did.  She has Bad Add Girl Power!

Week 5 - Biggest Winner and Loser

Loser.....Winner!

Week 5 Update

My family is running away in the Fantasy Football League:

1st Place - Jim
2nd Place - Me
3rd Place - Drew

Woot!

Detail

I got the Tahoe detailed this weekend to take out the thousands of scratches we got over the summer.  They did an amazing job!

Imagine my horror when Jim reported he wanted to take it off road this weekend to look at the fire damage by the cabin!  Seriously - it's a $225 detail job and a week later you want to ruin it?!?!?

Daisy Babushkha

Rocking our Russian Heritage!

Crab Bin Upgrade

Jim has been working on the crab bin and upgraded it by putting these bait bins on it.  He has also painted it with resin to make it water resistant.

Stache Cache

The Stache Cache Crew is ready to place it's first cache.  We are all so busy that it will have to wait until the week of Thanksgiving.  Stand by for pics of where we place it.

Shiny Again

Remember the scratches after being lost in the woods?  We got the Tahoe detailed yesterday and they worked miracles!  It looks almost brand new.  I was shocked that it turned out so good.

Free is Good Fair

We have a "Free is Good Fair" at work every 6 months.  It works like this:  Employees bring in items they no longer want and we put them out like a garage sale.  The marketing department also brings out overstock items, items that have old logos, etc.

We set up for a couple hours in the morning and then at 11:30 am people start lining up.  At noon, we let them in and its a free for all.   AND everything is FREE!

I have worked the last couple fairs because my admin is really involved.  In fact, I bring stuff in that I want to donate, all year, and leave them under her desk.

There is a lot of good stuff at these events.  And since I am working set up (along with 3 other coworkers) we get the first pick of the litter!  Check out my find this year - below!  I only got it because I thought G would like to play it - I had no idea it was valuable.

My Free is Good Fair haul - a guitar signed by Earth, Wind and Fire!

Who is driving???

Murray went to the soccer tournament with Drew and I last weekend.  He was supposed to be waiting in the back seat of the mini while we packed up.  I came out of the house and he was waiting in the passenger seat wondering who was going to drive.

Week 4 - Biggest Winner and Biggest Loser

I love how the glasses have evolved for biggest winner and loser.  It started with a boot mug for the biggest winner and a tiny mug for the biggest loser.  But then as the women earned the honors, they had to add big and tiny wine glasses.  Renee's glass was so big she had a difficult time drinking out of it.  She wore the Screwtop Badge well when using two straws stuck together to get the wine from the bottom of the giant glass!

If I ever win the honors, I will have to use a giant or tiny tea cup!

Powder Puff Injury

Last nite during TNDC we got a text from Drew that Amanda, who was playing defensive end, might have broken her leg in the schools Powder Puff football game.  Next, we got a call from the school asking us to come and get her because her parents were out of town and they could not release her to another minor.

Amanda in the back of the Tahoe (AKA Whambulance)

So we left TNDC and headed up to the school.  After talking to the trainers, it was decided she needed an xray of her left leg and her right hand.  So off we went to the hospital with Drew, Amanda and Jenna (Amanda's BFF).

The kids and "Papa Chach" waited in the waiting room while Amanda and I went in.  I had to stay with her because she was a minor --- I can imagine her delight when her boyfriend's mom had to hang around while being asked personal medical questions.  But lucky for her, I have had a TOP SECRET security clearance so whatever I heard will NEVER be disclosed! (Not that anything was significant!)

She had xrays and thankfully nothing was broken.  Depending on how her knee feels after a week, she may need an MRI.

We left her at about 11:30 pm at Jenna's house....just when the vicodin was kicking in.  I am pretty sure she slept like a rock last nite and will wake up today feeling like she got hit by a truck.

This is NOT Amanda's injured leg - it's Jennas!  She is double jointed!

Papa Chach hanging in waiting room

Support team in waiting room

Bandaged up and waiting - the school did an awesome job wrapping her leg.

Waiting to be seen

Tourney Pics

My friend Tracy takes pics at all the boys soccer games and posts them for all of us to view.  There are always at least 50 pics a game and there are always really great shots.  Here is a couple of Drew.

The Golden Girl

Love this pic of the Golden Girl leaving Moss Landing yesterday.

Landed

First voyage is under their belts - they landed in Half Moon Bay this evening - safe and sound!

Halfway

Halfway to HMB - wind is picking up.

Move Day

Jim and Big Dan are moving the boat today from Moss Landing to HMB.  They left early and it will take most of the day.  They are not doing any fishing on the way but will use the time to test everything.

8 Game Weekend

Both G and Drew had soccer tournaments this weekend in cities about 45 minutes from us in opposite directions!  So Jim and I split up and I watched Grace on Saturday while he watched Drew.  Then we flip flopped for Sunday. 

Out of 8 games we had 7 wins.  Grace's team lost their game first thing on Sunday morning which put them in the consolation game - which the won 5 to 0.  It was too bad because they were the best team at the tourney but they just didn't play well on Sunday morning.

Drew's team won the tournament.  They played really well the whole weekend.  But a weird thing happened:  After the championship game, they always have an awards ceremony.  It happens right away and only takes a few minutes.  Typically, the team that won and the team that lost the Championship go and accept their medals.  Well - when they started the ceremony, the losing team's coach came up and said that he let his players go home!  So they were not there for the ceremony.  We have never seen something like that.  It seemed so disrespectful and a display of poor sportsmanship.  We were really surprised.

Week 3 Fantasy Football

Biggest Loser and Biggest Winner

Quiet Mind

This is a conversation I had in my head the other nite when I couldn't sleep at about 2 am.

"Damn, I can't sleep.

I just need to quiet my mind.

I think I have gotten better at quieting my mind. 

I wonder if I have gotten better because I am more self aware. 

I wonder if being able to quiet your mind just comes with age....maybe when you are older you are better at it....maybe when you are older, biologically you mind just quiets easier.....maybe as you get older you have less things to worry about so your mind quiets better....maybe all my yoga is finally paying off.  

Shoot....I am not quieting my mind at all.....I am conducting an analysis about mind quieting!  I guess I am not any better at it than I used to me!

Kate Spade

I hit the jackpot at an online Kate Spade sale! 

Bees!

Our gardener was at our house this morning and came to the door to inform me that we have about 500 swarming bees in the front yard.  He was trimming a bush and the bees started swarming.  I went out to look and there was one branch with 100's of bees on it.

He called a friend who does beekeeping for 4H and they are going to come out and get them.

In the meantime....stay away!

Pretzels

I made home made pretzels this weekend and they were AMAZING!  Made a couple different dips but they were the best with brie and pepper jelly.  YUM!

Kongs

I feel really bad for the dogs that I have to go to the office everyday now.  So I get up at the crack of dawn every day and run them.  And then.....I fill their kongs with turkey jerkey and leave them on the counter for Drew to give them when he leaves for school. 

They are totally into the routine and wait for me to find their kongs in the morning and then stare at them on the counter!

Purple Bus

Yikes!

Giant purple bus was 12 minutes late today and then traffic was BAD!  Got to work totally late but the good thing is there was nothing I could do about it so I just kept working!

Spot

I never thought that Daisy would have stay spotted so long or be so interesting to others who see her.

I have had peolple come out of their houses to look at her and people stop their cars to ask what kind of dog she is!

Here are the most recent comments:

• Your dog looks like she has the measles.
• Is that a Labrador - Dalmation mix?
• That is a beautiful dog.
• She looks like a hyena.
• I thought she was wearing a coat.
• You did that (pointing to me)?  You are an artist!
• WHY did you do that?

Flowers

These flowers are right outside our cafeteria at work.  I love the purple and yellow together.  I think I might do these color combo next year in my front yard.

Mystery Equipment

Jim just sent me this pic and said "We got it going.  It's running good.  Ready to pull pots."

My response:  "Great....whatever it is!"

To me, it looks like a beer tap on steroids.

Biggest Winner and Loser - Week 2

Here are the biggest winner and loser from week 2 of fantasy football.  Coach needed to process improve and bring a wine glass because she did not want to drink her mimosa out of a boot glass!

Baby Bird

Last nite during TNDC, the girls found this baby bird by the front step.  It has a broken or injured wing.  It is one of the hundreds of finches that hang out in the front yard eating the seed I leave out and bathing in the fountain.

Grace is calling the rescue place to see if they will take it.  It is really sweet, it just sits on your finger.

More deliveries

Block

Received a few more deliveries:

• The block for pulling up the crab pots
• A giant light for fishing at nite
• Some weights which I don't have pics of

I came home from a walk the other nite and the entire street was lit up because they were testing out the light!  Bet the neighbors were pleased.  We really need to live in the country where we won't bother other people with our crab equipment, dirt bikes and dogs!

Light

Golden Girl Slogan

The voting has closed and we have a winner!

The slogan for the Golden Girl is......

Captain Dan Will Give You Crabs Tonite

Coming in at a close second was "Golden Girl - Crusty, Busty and Oh So Trusty".

Write in nominations were:

• Golden Girl Crabs Don't Itch - They Pinch!
• I Don't Often Get the Itch - But When I Do, I See Big Dan's Golden Girl For Crabs
• Got Crab's?

Next up - we need a logo!

Adi

Thought this was a good pic of Drew's soccer team.  A lot of these boys have been playing soccer together for most of their lives.  It is a really nice group of kids.

Lunch Date - Part 2

I forgot to mention that one of the lunch options today was a chip bar!

• Homemade potato chips with onion yogurt dip
• Pita chips with hummus
• Tortilla chips with guacamole

Plus there were other dips that I did not try.  Best lunch ever!

Lunch Date

Had special dates for lunch today at work:  Tina, Mari and Auntie Deb!  What a special treat for me! 

Summer of Service

At work, we are doing a "Summer of Service" campaign where every employee is encouraged to donate to their community.  My team cannot agree on what they want to do, so after many suggestions, I told them that my service was going to give blood. 

So last Friday, myself and my admin, Kari, went over to the blood bank and spent an hour giving blood.  Although it is not what you traditionally consider a community service activity, I thought it was appropriate - especially since the blood bank was critically low and was calling me EVERY day trying to get me to come in!

Morning drama

If you lay in bed in the morning, you miss so much!

This morning while out running the dogs (at 6 am), I was moving along when I realized that Daisy was behind me - she was off leash.  I turned and looked back and saw her head in the bushes.  Just as I looked, I coyote came shooting out of the bush --- running right by Daisy into the hills!

Yikes - that was freaky!  Good thing Ahi was on leash.

Adventures on the Purple Bus

This morning on the giant purple bus, I was getting all settled in my seat and ready to start working when my favorite lip balm from Hawaii went flying out of my purse and rolling down the center aisle of the bus (it is slanted so it just kept going).  The people in the two rows in front of me stepped into action and used their feet to stop it.  The first guy missed it by a hair but the lady in front of him stopped it with her high heels! 

Then she did a little side ways soccer kick and tapped it back to my.  But I was seat belted in my seat and my arms didn't reach far enough.  So it rolled back to her and she tapped it back again, while I quick undid my seat belt and caught it!

Adventures on the purple bus!

Golden Girl

Tina, Marty, the dogs and I went to see the Golden Girl today.  I have to say that it looks super cool from a distance, but once you get in it.....it is quite stinky!  Drew and Jim assure me that it actually smells good compared to what it used to smell like!  Yikes!

Crab bin

Jim made this crab bin today for the boat.  The way it works is -- they bring up a pot, tip it upside down and hit it on the back of the bin causing the crab to fall out of the pots into the bin.  Then they re-bait the pot and throw it back in.  Meanwhile a sorter sorts the good crab from the throwbacks.  The good crab ride a slide down to the holding bin.

The crab pot in the pic is smaller than the pots they will be using.  He used a cardboard cut out of the actual sized bin to "test" the crab bin.

The BIG Loser and the Butt Kicker

We have new glasses that are to be used during fantasy football season.  The little mug is for the week's biggest loser to drink out of at TNDC.  The boot is for the week's biggest butt kicker to drink out of.  Mr C and Jim were this week's winners.

Comparison

Comparison is the thief of joy.  Theodore Roosevelt

In our family, we have a strict rule - you only compare yourself to yourself.  From a scientific perspective, that is the only real way to measure if you have improved.  It doesn't make sense to compare you to someone else, because you can't control them and you have different skills so it would be an inaccurate measurement.

So when I found this quote by Theodore Roosevelt, I thought it was brilliant.