Friday, May 30, 2008

damsel in distress

This morning, the car is packed with camping gear and merchandise to sell at Mountain Jam this weekend. I'm running around all morning getting ready for work and the weekend away. I'm psyched, in a great mood and ready to go. I get in my car and it barely moves. I get out and look and my front, right tire is completely flat! Oh noooooooo.... a million thoughts running through my head. I'll be late for work, I need the car to get to the work then to the mountain..... ahhhhh!!
Ok, so I gather myself and start unloading the back to get to the spare tire. I can do this right? I can change a tire. I mean really, I renovated an entire house the least I can do is change a flat tire. But does it have to be in my work clothes?? All tools are gathered and everything is ready and I think... first step, before you jack up the car loosen the lug nuts. No problem... ummm... yeah it is! I am not strong enough or let's say they were too tight instead. Tried all 5 of them and couldn't even get one to budge. All I could think is where is a man when you need one... and I hate that thought grrrrr... Who wants to need one???
So I stand there, thoughts running through my head. A year ago I would have just taken Ken's car and he would have had it fixed for me before I even got home from work. But now I must take care of myself... Ok, so what would I have done say 15 years ago?? Ummm.. call a tow truck? nahhh that seems silly. I would have stood there and waited for someone to help. Being a young and attractive woman, someone would surely help me... but I am not so young anymore and don't know if "i still got it"? I start to stress a bit and stand there trying to figure out my next move.
Suddenly, kind, young gentleman named Marlo comes to my rescue. He changed the tire in under 10 minutes. While he worked, he told me he had moved here from New Orleans and we talked about the devastation from Hurricane Katrina. I told him that last year my class helped raise over $2,000 for a school in New Orleans. He explained that he is engaged to a teacher, but is nervous about marrying her because every teacher he meets is divorced... I laughed about that one. Marlo assured me that a fine lady such as myself would never have to wait long for some to come and assist her... Ok... Could this guy read my mind or what?!? I thanked him kindly and gave him some cash telling him to take his lady out to a nice dinner.
Too funny.

Bottom line:
tire is fixed (apparently I had run over a screw)
and "I still got it!".
This pleases me:)

More about Mountain Jam after the weekend, meanwhile... http://www.mountainjam.com/




Wednesday, May 28, 2008

no title

I keep trying to write something worth posting. It isn't working. Guess some days are like that.

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

poco a poco

Little by little.....
Photo by KMZ age 6

Another weekend spent preparing for the 'next step'. My head is spinning from one 'next step' to the 'next step'. My brother and my dad helped me with my resume this weekend. My dad helped me write and rewrite like he used to do when I was in college stressing about papers that were soon to be due. It was nice to have that kind of support from them. Two were resumes sent out yesterday and silly me was disappointed when there was nothing in my inbox today... I guess some days are like that.

This weekend I also practiced my español... sentía muy bueno... it felt very good. I've been doing a lot of reading and writing Spanish, well some anyway. This weekend I focused on listening and speaking. I was shy at first, but kept listening and repeating and then making my own little sentences... it was fun and it feels good on my mouth :)). The best part was on Saturday night, well kinda, Karen's dog got loose and it was pouring out . I was home alone responsible for the lovely, little beast. I kept walking around the neighborhood calling Chester over and over again! Each time I saw someone I asked if they had seen a black dog... one guy said yes, another no. Then I ran into two guys who,when asked, just looked at me as if I had four heads. So it hit me... I thought for a second and said, "¿Donde es un perro negro?"... "Where is a black dog?" ok... that was as the closest I could think of to "have you seen?". It was funny because I was so proud of myself, I was smiling from ear to ear... they laughed and one guy said, "Dog? No". Oh well, I tried. I even made my tongue roll a bit (perro). I am sure they walked away thinking... 'loco gringa' o...no... 'gringa loco'.... funny.

So I guess that was another little taste of what is yet to come. Hopefully though, in españa, I won't be looking for un perro negro.

PS. Chester made it home safely at around 1AM... and he is really a lovely little beast... I wasn't just saying that.