I don't usually post twice in one day, but BOY have I had a productive day!! It may not sound like much to most, but for someone who uses her one day off a week to just SIT DOWN for a few hours, I did a lot!
First I went to the dump to get rid of our trash and the few recyclables I could fit in my car. Then I went to have my car looked at. And, miracle of miracles, I only had to wait for about 20 minutes til they looked at my car, and then it took them about 10 to check it out. Verdict: it MAY be my oxygen sensor, but sometimes that's not true. So the cleared the code and if, after driving for another week, it comes back on, I should make an appointment. Even then, should they fix it, it could be something else. Cars are so annoying sometimes!!
Feeling good about getting that over with so quickly (it was only 9:30 a.m.!) I went across the street to look at shoes. I found a 'kind of cute' pair on clearance for $10, but I just saw myself having a hard time walking in them, so I put them back after putting them on about a dozen times!
I did find a pair of my favorite Saucony running shoes for $35! They are THE best shoes for work...both in the kennel, where I walk all day and at the grocery store where I am also on my feet all day.

Once I got back home, I cleaned the kitchen and started to baking my cake. I had an early lunch of 'Trader Joe's Reduced Guilt Primavera Pizza'...it's 250 calories for the whole personal pizza. The veggies can make it a little mushy (I made it in the microwave, since I had a cake in the oven). I did put extra FRESH mozzarella on, too...extra calories, but so worth it...yum!

Then I moved some furniture...I had to take apart our Ikea futon and move it into the spare room for our friend. Which also meant moving around a few other pieces of furniture...the ol' switch-a-roo, as they say.
Then I frosted the cake...
...Hubby came home for lunch...
when he left I worked out for an hour and now here I am.
The only things left to do are put my laundry away (yawn), clean up my mess of cake pans and bowls, and clip the dog's nails!!
Most productive day off I have had in a looooong time!!

another day, another issue

Well, the 'check engine' light has been playing with me again. After attempting to have it checked out twice, I am going to try again today. The first time, it went off on it's own. The second time, the garage was backed up and said, if I could, to come back the following week. I waited, and in the meantime, the light went off again. Since then, it has come on and gone off twice more. The mechanic said I only really need to worry about it when it begins 'flashing' ...well, this is as close to 'flashing' as I would like to get.
So today, my day off, I will be running my errands first thing, then taking the car in. At which point I will either sit and wait, or end up having to go back another day. End of the month/beginning of the month is a bad time to have car troubles when your mechanic also does state inspections!
I figured I could go across the street and look at some shoes, at least, if I had to wait a bit for the car. Too bad I don't still work at curves, I could get a workout in!!
I would love to have this taken care of...it's really the one thing that has been weighing me down. I really don't want to get in my car one morning at 4:30 and have it not want to start! Or, worse, have it stall on the way in to work!!
Hopefully, they can at least check it out and tell me what's wrong and when to come back.
I also have to get the house ready for our weekend guest. Luckily, he's lived with us before so he knows our sink usually has dirty dishes in it, and there will be dog/cat hair on the furniture!
I'll also be making a cake to go with the frosting I made yesterday.
I have been given the task of ordering and displaying the new items that come into the store each week, now. I've decided that I should try these products at home when they are items we can't just open and try at the store. So this week I'm making the Yellow cake and chocolate frosting. Yes, it's a powdered mix for the frosting, that you add butter and water to. It's VERY fudgey. We'll see how the cake turns out today...well, tomorrow, when our guest arrives. There is also a chocolate cake, but i went with yellow b/c of the frosting; and, a cinnamon crumb cake that is to die for!! Trader Joe's knows what they are doing with those mixes, so I'm pretty sure the cake will be delicious.
Other than that, I'm still not getting into my studio...ever.
I'm thinking of planning my entire wardrobe for Vegas so that I can just pack and stop thinking about it. OH, and I realized that the dinner and show I wanted to see is in the Downtown area...Fremont street...aka, the bad part of town. Still considering it, but feel less likely that we'll go. Bummer.
We'll probably end up seeing some Cirque de Solei show since there's actually not much else going on that time. Barry Mannilow is like $200 each for the 'cheap seats'!! Donny and Marie are the regulars where we're staying, but...Donny and Marie?...no thanks. I'll just end up leaving with more NutriSystem foods!!
I need to get some pictures for my posts....I'm putting myself to sleep!

Need another day of shopping!? Who am I?!

These past few...well, months, probably...I haven't blogged as regularly as before. The main reason was because of my 'new life'. I have been trying to take off a few pounds and so have been doing my blogging on a weight loss site, since most of the time, that is what is on my mind. I log all of my food and workouts, and blog about my progress/set backs and feelings about such things. Basically, all the stuff no one really needs to know or care about in their everyday.
Then there's the matter of the in-laws being in town. They arrived on the 11th and are in town until the 25th. Just a couple more days and I can regain my focus on what's important to me right now: losing weight and getting ready for Vegas!
So how's the trip planning coming along? Well, we booked our flight and hotel back in February. Now that we are 2 months from leaving, Hubby says, 'I guess I better order my ring.' And I am feverishly shopping on line to find clothes! Well, not 'clothes' so much as that perfect pair of shoes that I can wear with every dress I am bringing AND will go with jeans AND are comfy enough to wear while wandering up and down the Las Vegas Strip or out at the Hoover Dam!! Oh, and that pair of shoes can't cost more than, let's say, 30 bucks. I know, I will never find that shoe. Well, I won't find it online, anyway, because I have looked! I thought if I could find a cute wedge sandal, then it would go with my dresses, and look cute with a pair of khakis or jeans. But the color?? The price!! I found a great pair online...not in my size. I found another pair online...$80! I'm not paying that kind of money on a pair of shoes when what I really want is my new ring (which I'm putting off b/c I just can't part with such a chunk of change right now...I'm more of a spender than I ever was, but I will always be stingy...er, thrifty!)

So here I am, shopping online, finding all kinds of cute stuff on the Forever21 website, filling my bag. I check out the handbags section and find all sorts of stuff that I could see myself owning...but never using. I was thinking, 'oh, that would be a cute bag for that dress' and then remind myself that I am not that girl who has a separate bag for each outfit and I can't change that about myself overnight.
The toughest part, for me, about going away, is packing. I don't like to check bags. I cram everything I could possibly need into my one carry-on bag. All the little things that don't fit go in my 'purse'. Besides your carry on you are allowed a 'personal' item, such as a purse or briefcase. My purse is where I keep my toiletries, extra pair of shoes, and all other bits that the carry on couldn't handle. So I travel light. No extras. That is why one pair of shoes has to do. Last time we went, I wore my tall brown leather boots and brought my shoes for the wedding. But back then, I wore jeans ALWAYS. I had one dress I brought and the boots looked super cute with THAT dress. This time around, I seem to be a different person. I am embracing my love of the shift dress, but that means a completely different kind of footwear.

Oh, dear! Have I just sat here going on and on about shoes!? What is wrong with me?!
Clearly I need to go back out into the actual world of material goods and try on some shoes. Look at some clutches. Pack my bag and stop thinking about vacation!
I better ring the girls!

And speaking of dresses and Vegas...I showed my in-laws my sparkle dress and they couldn't believe their eyes! Then I showed them Hubby's jacket and we were told to 'get lots of pictures. Front, back, profile...' I told them I would send them our mug shots. I love them and I love that they are so excited about us renewing our vows. My father-in-law said the sweetest thing the other night when we were talking about moving away from home and such. He said, 'wow, that was brave of you. I am glad you moved out here or else Jason wouldn't have married you.' Aww!

What day is it, anyway?!

work, work, work

workout, workout, workout

dinner with the in-laws, lunch with the in-laws, dinner with the in-laws

work....sleep....work...

weekend off (!!!)= up early to spend the day in Boston with the in-laws, see a ballgame, back home late. Sunday, who knows, but I am tired thinking about it!

One more week of gogogo.

Good news: lost 5 pounds in the last 3 weeks and I can do full on sit ups and about 10 military style push ups!!! Look out Wonder Woman, I'm on your heels!! Oh, and I LOVE your heels! :)

here's the booty...

As I was looking around, the friend I was with was pulling stuff off the racks she was looking through...'here's one for you!' I think the white one is the only one that I pulled from the racks myself, and I'm not even sure I'm remember that correctly!! So here we go...
This great yellow shirt dress was just on a random rack behind the ones we were actually looking through. Then later I found that great scarf. Dress $6.49, scarf 1.99.
Originally, we thought this would be a great dress for the vow renewal. Then we found a great dress later (wait for it...it's coming!). After some thought, I may still use this for the ceremony and save the awesome dress for dinner and dancing night. This one has a tiny stain somewhere on the front. If I can't get it out, I may try dying it. It's got a great pattern, you may be able to see if you click on the photo?? not sure.
Totally forgot I also bought 2 sweaters, this one is super cute. The other is just a cute fuzzy hooded zippered cardigan that is 'so me' that my friend found it while I was poking around and came up to me and basically said, this sweater was made for you, buy it. The sweaters were only $4.99 each!!
This one is so cute! It's actually a bit shorter than I'm used to, but this style dress is so comfy. It had shoulder pads but they were just sewn in with a couple stitches, so i just cut them out.

This brown one is longer, like the yellow one, and super cute and comfy. Again, each dress was only $6.49!

These are the awesome vintage shoes. The best part of used shoes? They're already broken in!! I'm so unsteady in heels but these are great b/c they're not super chunky but the heel is wide across the back of the shoe. And those are my new earrings that I love even more b/c they were only $3.99!! (yes, I love telling people how much I paid for my clothes, because I never pay full price!!) Another great aspect of the earrings is that they totally match the cheesey bracelet I found once in a store I was working in (I think some girl lost it at a birthday party we had, maybe?? All I know is no one ever came back for it so I took it home.) and the ring I bought for $19 at an antique shop. I wear the ring whenever we go out. It is exactly the style of ring I wish I could put my diamond in, but am having trouble finding that type of setting.

And here it is!!! THE DRESS. (pardon my cluttered fridge and awful hair!! concentrate on the awesomeness of the dress!!!) I almost didn't even try it on! And then after trying it on and thinking about the price, I put it away and was ready to leave. My friend, a seasoned vintage shopper, got me a great deal and I couldn't possibly say no.

Look at it SPARKLE!!
But this is not an afternoon wedding dress. This is not the dress you wear to Thanksgiving dinner. Sure, it's not just thanksgiving, it's our vow renewal reception dinner. And it's Vegas.

But, come on!! If we are planning on going out to a fun club and being completely unlike ourselves and dinner, dancing, a show...isn't this a better dress for that kind of night, don't you think?? Hell, I may just wear this dress the entire time we're there...I just don't know anymore!! But now...what possible shoe could do this dress justice, without taking away from the glamour of the dress?? I am terrible at dressing myself, I really am.

** oh, I totally forgot: vegas dress = $300 originally, marked to $195, they were offering 30% off everything yesterday, my friend go them to give it to me for $117. That's a pretty cheap (vintage) wedding dress!!**

oh.my.word!

So today was the 11th or 12th day of work in a row for me...I lost count. Yes, I had most of Monday off because we were closed for the holiday, so i had an easy 'come and go as you please' sort of schedule; but I still had to work! Tomorrow I have off and will be spending the day getting the house ready for the in-laws who will be stopping by Saturday...their first day of their 2 week vacation on the Cape.
Today, though, I worked until noon and met up with Auntie for some shopping.
Oh, what fun we had...well, I did and I hope she did.
I met up with her at the fabric shop by where I work, then we went to Goodwill where I bought nearly $50 in dresses, shoes, and a pair of earrings. Then, we were off a cute little gift shop of a girl I know. She designs fabric...super cute. It's called Yummy Goods, she sells stuff online, too, and also has a blog.
After a bit of shopping and socializing, we went for lunch at this cute little place that has GREAT carob yerba matte lattes. It's run by a 'religious cult', but the food is so good, we ignore the fact that it's run by a bunch of crazy people. (yes, that is just my opinion...people can believe whatever they like...although they do believe John Lennon was an evil person.)
After lunch...more shopping. There is a fun vintage thrift shop down the street from the place we had lunch. They are pretty notorious for how expensive their stuff is, but sometimes you can get a good deal. There is tons of jewelry and the entire ceiling is covered in vintage hats. Today I found some beautiful boots, but alas, my feet are just too big for most vintage boots. The saleswoman was a bit pushy, but I tried on 3 dresses. One of sequins that I loved, but thought was pricey for the shape it was in (missing sequins on the shoulders); one was a two piece in a pretty blue that was kind of like the sheath dress with the 'jacket' that was only $50!!; and, a pinky-mauve dress that the saleswoman said 'if you're trying stuff on, just try this on for me' (it was the most expensive of the 3). The pink one was sexy, but way too tight. The blue one got stuck around my hips. The sequin one was perfect for Vegas, and I loved it on...except for my pot belly... It was originally $300. I thought the price was $145, which I was kind of okay with because they said everything was 30% off today. But when I tried it on, I realized it was actually $195. I didn't want to pay that much. Auntie said, 'just see if they'll give you a deal...they usually will.' I didn't want to be a pest, and I figured that an 'as is' dress already going for 30% off, wouldn't go much lower. She said, 'I can let you have it for $117, if you buy it today.' 'I'LL TAKE IT!'
After all that, it was nearly 5 p.m!! I was meeting Hubby after he got out of work to do a bit of grocery shopping, so we decided to stop by the Barnes & Noble Starbucks for a coffee. My sister was working and her Hubby was working, so we got to chat a bit with them...and some more with each other.
After some shopping with Hubby, we went for burritos for dinner, and I finally went home...13 hours after leaving the house! That is a long day for me!!
But I'm excited about the FIVE dresses, one pair of shoes, one scarf, and one pair of earrings I got today!!
...photos, hopefully, tomorrow...

I wish I could let it go

Some of you may remember me getting excited about sending my stuff to a real brick & mortar retail store in Maine about a year and a half ago.
Then, you may remember that nothing was selling, but they were going to keep my stuff through the holidays b/c I thought it silly to send it back just before a busy holiday season.
Then, I never heard from the place again. No check, no returned goods...nothing.
Emails, convos, emails, convos...no response, until one day she sent a reply to my 'just send my stuff back' email reading 'will do'.
Then, nothing. Just closed up etsy shops and MIA bloggers. It is as if she disappeared.
Well, except that I know she had a partner. And that partner still blogs and sells her handmade soaps and stuff. Not only that, but she also has been doing the Maine 'fair' circuit which she blogs about and includes references to her friend.
I really want to just let it go, but I am pissed that these people screwed me over!! Why can you just at the very least respond to my emails and tell me that you are screwing me over and have no intentions of returning my stuff or paying me...at least have the balls for that!!
Why don't I confront the 'partner' on her blog or etsy site? Originally I had done all the correspondence through LIZA (yes, I'm going to name her...I'm that pissed!! plus, her etsy shop is empty anyway...she is nowhere to be found). Hell, I don't even know if the other girl was really part of it, as her business seems to be thriving! Oh, and the website that was connected to the Maine store has also been closed. I am curious if the sellers who were actually there long enough to get up on the website got there things back?? I am also fairly certain that the actual store has shut down too...but not 100% sure, since they had just moved the location shortly after I sent in my stuff.
Anyway, I am really upset for several reasons:
1. I sent them my best, and cutest stuff that I really wish I had to put in my shop. Stuff that I enjoyed making and having it back could coax me into getting back on my creative horse.
2. Who does that!! She STOLE my things. Sure, I sent them to her, but she didn't pay me for them or send them back if they didn't sell...that was the deal.
3. There was no real contract. I asked if there was stuff to sign and she said no but we could sign something if I wanted to. I didn't think it was necessary...I thought people in Maine were nice honest people!! (I'm sure most of them are)
4. Just respond to my emails/convos!!! Like I said, if you're gonna screw me over, I'm gonna keep at you until you have the decency to say 'look, I'm screwing you over...I'm not sending your stuff back and you're not getting paid for it. so buzz off!'
I just want to shout out to everyone who she is and how lame she is, but I keep reigning myself in when I get ready to post her etsy shop AND her partners shop. I'm keeping tight-lipped though, b/c I don't want to cause trouble or pain for the woman who is clearly doing really well with her stuff...I just want justice for myself.
I think it is this dark cloud keeping me from even bothering with anything creative anymore...I honestly do!
***UPDATE: upon further investigation, I realized that the soap maker is not the partner of Liza. Liza's partner is Kim, and that is all I know about her. The soap maker is merely a friend/neighbor of Liza but I wish she could help me out. I am just so upset!!

Kind of like a day off

It's Monday...LABOR DAY!

I work at the kennel on Mondays but we are closed today. That means it's a Sunday schedule for the kennel person. There's the morning feed/clean/walk; then, the afternoon walk/check-up; then, the evening feed/clean/walk. I was going to ride my bike in this morning. I thought what a great day to give it a go. I am sure I could bike the 4 miles there and back, but this road I take is dangerous to bikers/pedestrians. It is very curvy and there is no shoulder, and there are parts of the road where the foliage lining the road hangs over which would cause a biker to ride closer to center to avoid facial damage. So I decided against it, and was happy for it later. There was way more traffic than I expected so early on a holiday morning.

Today's kennel guests are a combo of good and bad for me...the only ones there are the surrendered diabetic cat, Morris, and the surrendered rottweiler, Angel. Both require medicine in the morning and evening. The good part is that it takes virtually no time at all to walk/feed one dog and clean/feed one cat. The bad part is that I have to go in 3 times today for what amounts to a total of about an hour of work!! Now I'm glad I put in that extra day last Wednesday!! I had totally forgotten about the holiday.

Anyway, one of the receptionists goes in on Sundays and holidays to feed and exercise the parrot, so I left a note saying I may decide not to come in for the afternoon. Seems silly to me. Angel got two walks this morning, including an extra long one after breakfast and I will be back around 4 to feed. My pug stays in from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays so I think a Rotty bladder can hold it as least as long as a pug!!
So, anyway, I went to work at 7 this morning and was home again by 8...so now, it's basically like a day off...until around 4.

Catching up: Well, there's not much to report. The dog scale at work read 152.9 this morning!! that's like 3 pounds lost in a week and a half or so.

The in-laws will be here Saturday, for two weeks. I finally get to see the inside of the giant 'cottage' they are renting this year. We figure they will either look some more for a different one next year, or just go back to the old one. The one they're renting this year is 2 floors and has a big gourmet kitchen with marble counter tops and big leather sofas in the living room. It's closer to us than the place they stayed last year, about mid-way between us and the beach we like, and practically across the street from our fav bakery/coffee shop.

I'm still looking for Vegas stuff: dress, jewelry, shoes, etc. and starting to stress about not finding anything. The main problem is this: I have found several vintage dresses that I like. But they are all so tiny!! I thought women were larger back then?? Why is the waist on every single cute dress a 26??? I think the biggest one I've found is a 30'', which I can probably swing by November, but then the bust is like 40''!! Yes, I know, I can have them altered. I think I need to go shopping IRL...try stuff on, I guess. I just hate shopping SO MUCH. Maybe I can get the girls to venture out for lunch and a quick trip to Goodwill, since that's probably all I'll be able to handle in one day.

So far I really have my eye on these. The first one reminds me most of the Barbie dress I loved. But it's $190...(cheap for vintage, but...I'm just so tight with my cash!!)

(I always forget to list the sources: this one's here.)
And then there's this one, and it's only $42!!

(you can find better/more pictures here.)

Hubby got his jacket. He's wearing jeans, probably, with a crisp white shirt (French cuff, maybe), and a navy blue velvet jacket. It's by English Laundry, and I've never seen him buy something so quickly! He is so excited to wear it...it's pretty hilarious. I think it's a great jacket and he loves it!
(I got the pics off Overstock.com, but he actually got it for just $60 on some other discount website...I think it's like a $300 jacket!! I knew I could make a bargain shopper out of him some day!!)
But anyway, you can see that neither of these dresses really 'goes' with his outfit, color-wise. I know the style of dress I want isn't really going to 'go' with the style of his outfit, but I think I'd like to find something closer to matching in color, at least.

Well, I guess that's enough rambling again...boy, I bet you're all glad I decided to blog today!!

dullsville

Still ridiculously busy.
My day is work, workout, clean, cook, sleep...repeat.
I have lost 2 pounds this week by being vigilant about tracking every morsel I eat, and working out every day (except one when my legs were achy after working 3- 11 hour days at the kennel).
Our weekend house guest post-poned his trip until October, due to the hurricane that was supposed to hit tonight. Yes, 'supposed' to ...we got some rain and a little bit of wind, but there's not much happening now. I almost got a day off this week because of it, but instead, I've actually just been working EXTRA hours. I will get a day off...the day AFTER my in-laws get into town.
I'm tired, and have nothing to report from this life of mine...