I still get asked to repeat my name ... complete with a dumbfounded look like they didn't hear me correctly.

I am in a non-chain small town hotel in northern Washington (but, yay! wireless!) to conduct three days of training. I'm thirty miles from the BC border, but darkness fell rapidly so I didn't have time to get a stamp on the passport. Three nights here, then back to Spokane for two.

I'm going with "the gator was full or he'd have eaten the cat and possibly the kid..."

When I was kayaking Wednesday we saw a 16 foot gator lying on half a wild boar he was going to finish up later. 2, 3 vultures kept coming close and even landing on him to try and snag a bite and he'd just glare at them.

According to our guide, he was full so they were safe. And we were safe by virtue of the fullness and the fact that he has little interest in eating people (small children swim nearby in that river) but we stayed well away from him nonetheless.

Dana, I'm so sorry. You and your family are in my thoughts.

Crazy busy day today. My decathletes did not fare well yesterday (we ranked 44th!) We have some massive studying to do.

Noah had a cooking party today, which was fun. Noah in a Chef's Toque. The woman who was running it all was REALLY REALLY loud, fighting to be heard over the kids. I wanted to pull her aside and just say, yelling only revs them up. Anyhow, my instagram has a whole stream of adorable pictures of things he made.

I do love this picture because wherever did he get those eyelashes?

I also re-dyed my hair making a mess in the bathroom and had my brows done. A productive but expensive sunday.

Randomly: any good craft ideas for used yoga mats? I have two or more that can be repurposed, but as what?

I have two or more that can be repurposed, but as what?

Pteranadon wings? That's what my friend used to make his costume way back, and all it took was some cutting and a hot glue gun.

One of the best costumes ever, if judged by the amount of times I had to listen to people murmur "Pterodactyl..." in his wake. (While he muttered back "Pteranadon.")

Lisas Represent!

Lisas in the house whoo!

msbelle is a busy yard bee. I am glad for good mac day. I needed to do some yard stuff, but didn't make it to it, so sadly probably no garlic or onions for me next year.

Noah is adorableness. I love his fun activities.

I am having such a good time on the train. It's funny because I'm such an introvert, but for that I have the sleeper car with a door that closes and curtains that pull shut. But the best part for me is meeting people, especially the random people I have to sit at meals with.

Breakfast was a cute elderly couple from Ohio visiting the man's brother in California. She was all churchy and he was reserved at dinner. Then when we were delayed in Albuquerque he'd stepped outside for a smoke without her and got stranded out with us, so he was talking to us, cussing up a storm. I loved how they interacted. He was a golf instructor.

Lunch was two separate guys, one young and one older, both of whom were talkative. I was laughing during an announcement (by the person in our dinner car; it didn't pertain to us, just people not in the dining car!) and someone shushed me, and they were all, did you just get shushed? How rude!

Dinner was a fantastic couple, Katrina survivors. She was a former programmer (old school programmer) and he was a retired WWII vet. They were really fun and fascinating to talk to. AND I got cred because I knew what a muffaletta was. He makes beignets apparently. He was fascinated by our work and wanted to know what kind of credentials did someone need to do it. Like, could he? And we said yes, of course! And the wife was all, you are 85 years old, that is not happening! Love.

And then I told the story over in Bitches about the newlyweds, who are cute as buttons and very 50's chic.

Now I am pj'd up and all chill in my sleeping car for the night, and my cold isn't really bothering me that much, but I have a Nyquil just in case. So I'm happy I came. It's been a good trip so far.

We'll see what happens tomorrow; hopefully we can make up today's delay, because otherwise we may miss our connection. If so, we'll be calling Chicagoistas to come bail us out! Hee.

But so far so good, and I'm looking forward to the night's train sleep. It's a little bumpier now because it's downhill and faster, but hopefully that's good and means we'll make up lost time.

Kat, the second picture is absolutely precious.

I did lots of things today, but don't feel especially accomplished...wax, rolfing, library, bookstore, breakfast out, did some work (expense reports), salsa class, paid bills...

Tomorrow I go to Hawaii! For work, but I usually get some free time.

I'm thirty miles from the BC border, but darkness fell rapidly so I didn't have time to get a stamp on the passport. Three nights here, then back to Spokane for two.

Dude, let me know next time you're in Spokane, I'm there all the time for work! Though, only for a couple more months!

Yay for yard work and happy play time for mac!

I did a lot of computer work today, but very little physical work. I was going to dye my hair, but I will have to get to that tomorrow.

I am very worried about money, even more than before. Dan switched to a new company with this contract (same job -- it's the government, don't ask me, I don't get it) so we won't get a check till the 30th. And I got a ticket, and found out about an OLD ticket of mine from 2003 that I had completely forgotten. It's $600. I'm lucky the guy who pulled me over for expired tags didn't arrest me, cause I have a warrant. And my personal account has been OD by $200 for a month.

So in addition to the consistent trying to find a job, I am also ramping up the possibility of freelancing, and as a side bennie of that, trying to improve my skills in social media stuff, so maybe I can qualify for more jobs.

STRESS, I do not like you.

But I like everyone here, and other than that, things are ok.

I got a pedicure and she sliced my toe open. It is now red and tender around and under the nail bed. I think my toe is now infected with those green beasties from that fungus commercial, and my toe will have to be amputated.

Mostly I'm sad about having to ruin the polish on my big toe to hobble into emergency this morning. Bleh.