Browse Month: May 2006

Courtyard BBQ

For Memorial Day, we had a neighborhood BBQ in our courtyard. We’ve been meaning to do this for some time now and it’s taken almost 3 years to actually pull it off. We all know each other but this time we actually got to hang out in the sun and have some beers together. In fact, a new couple just moved in a few months ago and we finally got to meet face-to-face. One of them even happened to be a 1st grade teacher working in one of the elementary schools that we send students to for Kindergarten every year. It’s always nice to meet someone who actually knows what I do for a living. Instead of asking “What’s an occupational therapist?” She said, “You’re an OT? That’s great!” Anyway, Jes fired up some tasty carne asada, I made some guac, and our neighbors brought homemade chocolate chip cookies, and 7-layer dip. By the end of the BBQ, I had just enough energy to help put everything away and then crashed at 6:00 pm and didn’t actually get out of bed until this morning. All the sun/heat and a considerable amount of “fruit” really wiped me out. What great way to end a long four-day weekend.  Here are the photos.

it’s all good

This is my first post from the new macbook. After a little reformatting by my Admin, this little machine is good as new and running better than ever. Apparently this crashing thing with the Adobe Suite has been a common problem for the new Intel macs. Admin found this article. I have to give props to my Admin for staying up late reinstalling everything while I slept. Maybe I won’t fire him yet.
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Anyway, this new OS is going to take some getting used to. Just a simple cut and paste requires pushing a new “open apple” key instead of “ctrl”. Just today I was still back on my ThinkPad streaming some music off the network and chatting with my brother. Just call me a baby duck.

stupid apple

On May 27, 2006, I became a Mac whore. Stupid Apple.

For a while now, I’ve admired the design of Apple products and even their retail store. We probably visit the store about every two weeks, fiddling with the computers, checking out the newest iPods, and shaking our heads with disgust and shame that we too have gotten sucked into their packaging and product design. All I could hear in my head was “it’s so preeeeety”.

They recently came out with the new MacBook that has an Intel processor and more reasonable price.  With some debate and confusion, I did it.  I forked over the money and said, “Yes, make me an Apple whore”. I got the white 13″ model with a 2.0 GHz processor and 60 MB hard drive.  I must say that it’s pretty snazzy with a new magnetic power cord, newly designed keyboard, and solid feel.  And it’s purty.

When we got home, we just turned it on and it was ready to go. Amazing! All I needed to do was decide what my login name was going to be and what language I was going to use. Today, I tried to install the Adobe CreativeSuite today and it totally crashed on me. Aren’t Macs not supposed to crash?!  I tried to restart and it would fall apart after the first couple seconds. So now my Network Admin is helping me reinstall Mac OS X and it should be good as new in about 2 hours and 5 minutes (according to the installation window). Cross your fingers…I may need to call Apple Care soon.

Project 4: Supa Dupa Gangsta Ducky Hat

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Last week, I learned how to make a stockinette stitch. It basically involves knitting a row, then purling a row, and so on. Yesterday, I started to make a hat that would fit a small child but I got tired and kept having to fix my work. So, I unraveled it and went to sleep. Tonight, instead of starting over, I made a mini-hat just so I could practice the pattern without stressing myself out. Coincidentally, duckie was willing to be my model and boy does the hat fit well. Doesn’t he look fly in his new gangsta hat?

Growing a Green Thumb

DSC_3765.jpgWhen you move into a house, you usually have to start buying plants and do a little landscaping. Well, I’ve managed to keep a couple things alive but I’d have to say that my thumb is probably more purple than green. We received a bonsai when we first moved in and that sucker lasted probably 9 months. I guess that’s not bad. I also planted a few shrubs and flowers in my mini-garden and I don’t know how many times they’ve died from not enough sun or too much water. *sigh* What’s a girl to do?

IMG_3488.jpgWell, I was watching Good Eats one day and A.B. inspired me to grow my very own avocado tree. I was skeptical but I figured I’d give it a try. You start out with the pit, put three toothpicks through it, and suspend it over a cup of water. After a couple weeks, it’s supposed to grow a root on the underside and then later a stem on the top. Well, my avocado seed sat and sat on my window sill with nothing happening. THEN I finally saw a little something poking down into the water. It’s a root!! After a few more weeks the root started going nuts. In fact, the seed cracked open because the root was so thick. After another few weeks, I noticed a little something poking out of the top. It’s a stem! So now, a little over two months later, I have a real live baby avocado tree!! It has a woody stem and new leaves at the top and sides. How exciting! Ah…my thumb feels greener already!

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Oh yeah, I also started an herb garden. I’m growing parsley (the two on the outside) and thyme (one in the middle). I just put seeds in the soil and kept is watered. They grow really fast. I think the thyme sprouted within the first 4 days! Isn’t nature great?!

a swingin’ good time

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On Tuesday, Marie and Cole went to my work to visit me. It was Cole’s second time to my clinic and I can’t believe how much he’s grown and developed since then. During the first visit, he was barely walking, didn’t want to play on the swing, and couldn’t quite put a ball into a little musical toy. This time, he was walking all over the place, stepping off the mat with no problems, sitting and enjoying the swing, and was a pro at putting the balls into the musical toy. Watching kids grow and develop is so cool.
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Anyway, I think he had a great time and it gave Marie a chance to rest a little while he got to play in a safe and carefree environment. Man, the next time I have to babysit the little man, I’ll just bring him to my clinic. No worries about hitting his head on tables or destroying anything. I think every kid should have a room in the house with mats and squishy furniture.