Archive for 'Out and About'
“Pre-First” Mother’s Day
May 12, 2008 by Binary Blonde, under Out and About, Pregnancy.
On Friday night, Kevin asked what I want to do for my “pre-first” Mother’s Day. Okay, all at once now.. “Awwwww…” Yes, he is that thoughtful sometimes and I’m a lucky wife. 
This being my first pregnancy and so new to me, I wasn’t sure what a mom-to-be did for Mother’s Day (don’t your children do something for you, usually?), so I chose something very low key and very “me”. I told him I was craving Pad Thai and that I wanted to visit our house, which is being built nearby, to take some photos and see the progress.
So, in the tradition of Kevin’s family (and now ours), we celebrated Mother’s Day on Saturday instead of Sunday. We first went to see our house, and I was pleasantly surprised to see it was framed already! It finally looks like a house, instead of a mass of rectangular-shaped cement blocks with weird metal rods sticking up everywhere. Yay! 
We walked up inside and took a look at all the rooms, of course avoiding all the nails strewn everywhere. My favorite view was looking out of the family room at one of the old oak trees. How pretty is that??
After we were through exploring our framed house, we went to our new favorite Thai restaurant for the Pad Thai I was craving. Nowadays, you can get Pad Thai just about anywhere, so I bet you’re wondering what makes this place so special? Well, it’s the sauce. It’s a little bit more fishy tasting and they give you plenty of it, so it makes for a very moist, delicious heap of hot rice noodles. Nomnom!
Oh, and I can’t end this post without mentioning that my incredibly sweet sister-in-law (it feels weird to call her an in-law as I consider her a real sister!) sent me a mother-to-be Mother’s Day card and an adorable little onesie with a little kitten sitting in a tea cup printed on the front with a line of paw prints on the back, right on the tush! It made me tear up, but I blame it on the hormones. 
So, even though I can’t officially celebrate Mother’s Day until next year, I had a very fun “pre-first” Mother’s Day thanks to two very special people! 
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Lizards, Snakes & Frogs - Oh My!
April 23, 2008 by Binary Blonde, under Animals, Out and About.
We’ve been living here in Austin for almost two weeks now, and I swear I’ve seen more critters in these past two weeks than I have in all the time I lived in So Cal. Don’t get me wrong - I love critters! It’s Kevin I’m worried about.
Earlier this week, we went out to bring a load of laundry to the facilities here at the apartment complex, and just outside our door in the breezeway was a stripped garden snake. It was a thin little thing and wouldn’t dare move when we passed by it, but Kevin ran past it like it was spitting and ready to bite! 
I wish I had my camera, because it was cute and tiny, nothing that could have harmed Kev in the least.
That same night, I found a large toad near the sidewalk, and pointed it out to Kevin. He wasn’t afraid of it, but wasn’t as fascinated with it like I was. Again, it was too dark to get a good photo. 
I think he made a comment like, “What is this - a witch’s cauldron!?” Hahahaha!
So, last night, we were doing another load of laundry and walked passed our neighbors window, when Kevin noticed a longish critter on the screen.
Kev: “What is that, a walking stick?”
Me: “No, it’s a lizard.”
Kev: “Eh, I wouldn’t want that thing in my house!”
You probably can guess where this is going…
So, last night around 3:00 AM we were startled by Kanji jumping onto (or into, I’m not sure which) the blinds in our bedroom.
Yup, there was a lizard on the blinds. It was just your average medium-sized lizard. Of course, I was unconcerned, but Kevin was not happy - at all.
As the cats chittered and meowed in frustration, I told him we should probably catch it and get it outside so we can get back to sleep.
Kev: “What!? How are we supposed to do that!?”
Me (sleepily): “I don’t know.. get a glass jar or something, grab it and stick it in there.”
Kev: “I don’t like this. I don’t like this at all.”
Me: “Sorry.. If you get the jar, I’ll do it.”
So, he finds a plastic tuperware instead and I corner the poor thing, catch it with my hands and contain it. He runs to open the door and I dump the container over in the breezeway. Super easy and no harm done! Guess all my lizard-catching as a child will pay off here.
We shut that particular window, because the lizard probably snuck its way in through the screen somehow. Kevin vowed to check the cracks today to make sure it doesn’t happen again. And even though the cats were a little pissed off that we took away their toy, they finally settled down again and we got another few hours sleep.
Personally, I love (non-poisonous) critters, and don’t mind if they find their way inside, but would much rather they do it when we’re not asleep.
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Happy Earth Day!
April 22, 2008 by Binary Blonde, under Blogging, Out and About.
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Long Overdue
May 15, 2007 by Binary Blonde, under Friends & Family, Out and About.
Mmm.. where to start? Well, let’s see.. I’m still working and mostly enjoying it. It’s a job, though, ya know? Some days I love it, some days I want to just walk out and never look back. It’s frustrating, sometimes, to learn as you go for a job that is all about schedules and what gets done when. But, mostly, I like it. I do. It’s more of a personality issue than anything. It’s not that I don’t get along with my co-workers, it’s just.. well, I just know I’m weird and will always be weird. Most people just don’t get me and that’s fine. I have my select group of friends who do get me and they keep me sane and happy. :)
Outside of my job, I’ve have lots to blog about, but just haven’t brought myself to sit down at the computer and type it all down, until now.
Firstly and I must mention this again: Kevin graduated (again). That’s right! My Kevin is a graduate of USC with a Masters Degree in Computer Science. I am so insanely proud of him. Especially because I have about 50 million credits under my belt, but still no college degree, so with him and his second masters degree (first one was a MBA), it just makes me glow inside when I think of what he’s accomplished.
Kevin’s parents drove in for the weekend to attend his ceremony, and they got there in the nick of time. It was SO packed full of people there that I swear I was coming close to fists fights to ward off people who wanted the saved seats near the front. Oy! That was on Friday.
On Saturday morning, we treated his mother to an early Mother’s Day brunch and then they were headed off back home. It was a short visit, but I am glad they got to see their son at another one of his shining achievements. He worked hard for it! I’m also glad Kevin got to see his mom for Mother’s Day. It’s hard to see them often since they are several hours away, by car, so it’s nice when he can spend some quality time with them.
At the beginning of the month, I went to the So Cal Renaissance Pleasure Faire with my mom and step-father, George. That was a day I needed. I got buzzed off honey mead, ate the best wild rice ever (followed by a monkey tail for dessert), threw tomatoes at a dude who was (playfully) insulting me and watched turtle races, among other things. A lot of people drink there (including some of the volunteer staff), so it’s full of craziness and the kind of fun you can only have when one is buzzed.
That same weekend, I went shopping for the bike I’ve wanted for oh… years now. I said I just wanted to look, as I didn’t expected to find the exact one I wanted, but there it was, in all it’s sparkly splendor. It’s a gorgeous blue-green Eureka Hawaiian beach cruiser with hibiscus flower accents, a wicker basket and silver bell.
I took it for a test drive at the beach last weekend, as it was finally warm enough to go without a jacket. Kevin came with me and stayed on the pier while reading a book, as I rode up and back to either “end” of the path, where the bike path branches off from the beach towards longer routes along the coast.
I hope to take it out again this weekend, if the breeze isn’t too stinging as it can be at the beach (especially lately with these cold snaps!). Kevin says he really enjoyed sitting on the pier and reading; said it was very relaxing.
So, that’s been my life the past month. Of course, there’s always the details that I feel guilty about not writing, because oddly enough, I personally enjoy being able to remember certain events just by reading what I wrote about them. Guess I gotta try a bit harder in keeping these posts up to date, hmm?
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After These Messages
October 14, 2006 by Binary Blonde, under Animals, Friends & Family, Out and About, Vet Tech.
Kevin and I have been busy more often than usual this weekend and it’s not even over! Weekends are when I usually catch up with cleaning, email and staying in touch with friends. So, if I haven’t returned your phone call or email, you know what’s up. I should be able to catch up on all that this Monday.
Now, just because I’ve been busy doesn’t mean I’m not having fun. Today, we left early to drive out east into the boonies to go to the Southern California Faire. Going (to a faire) was part of an assignment for my Animal Science class. At the faire, I visited the livestock, swine and sheep auctions, as well as visit all their animal exhibits. Later in the semester, I have to go to a cat or dog show (where they judge the pets), a dairy (where dairy cattle live) and choose another animal-centric place, like an aviary or reptile show. But, I digress.
The faire today was actually more fun than I thought it was going to be. Although, knowing where those animals at auction were going afterwards made me sad, just visiting with them was very enjoyable. All of the animals were very well treated and very well cared for. What shocked me, actually, was that most of the caretakers were young kids! Most were teenagers, with many pre-teens mixed in. It was really kinda cute to watch them with their animals.
So the faire was today, and on Friday, Kevin took a half day off work so we could go to the Aquarium of the Pacific. I love it there, with all the ocean creatures to admire and be in awe over. I was poking around their site and noticed they offer an extensive array of volunteering opportunities. I love learning new things and on their application they say they give “first dibs” for working with the mammals and birds (sea lions, puffins, etc) to people training in the veterinary fields. Hmmm… yet another project to take up my time. But, wouldn’t that just be the coolest thing!? If I could work with sea creatures. I think that would most definitely be a cure for my boredom.
Oh, before I go I just wanted to remind everyone living in So. Cal. that the Best Friends Super Adoption Festival is tomorrow! FREE admission! 10 AM at the La Brea Tar Pits. Visit my previous post outlining the details and location. I’ll be there bright and early, at 7:00 AM, to start unloading all the animals! (See you there, Cara!)
