February 14, 2009 by samantha.

Since I had places to be today, I decided to get up at the usually time and follow the same routine I do on weekdays. Val and I went for our morning walk and returned to the house at the normal time of 6ish. The next step in the routine is taking a shower. Too bad I was unable to open the bathroom door! I tried and tried. My door refused to open. See, my bathroom is small and I needed to be creative in the way I stored bathroom essentials. I found a vanity that has a bottom drawer that was perfect to house the staples.

Last night when I closed it I guess I used a little too much force, so when I closed the bathroom door the drawer bounced back out. This is what made it impossible for me to open the door this morning. Back to 6 AM Saturday morning, I was in a panic. I leave for Portland today and I need to get into my bathroom!! I tried taking the screen out of the for the bathroom window. The window is too skinny to crawl through, but at least I could put something through the window so that I could push the drawer back. That did not work out since the window was locked. I tried using a spatula and a wooden spoon, through the slot under the door, to push the drawer back. Still no luck!!!! By this time I was thinking I was going to have to take an axe to the door! I decided that before I did that, I would try to pry the door open one more time. The door opened like it supposed to. And now it is just after 7 AM and I am showered and packed for my trip.

About the drawer, you found my dirty little secret. As organized as I am I cannot keep this drawer tidy. I figure everyone has at least one messy drawer. I organize it all the time and in a few days it is messed up again. Oh well! I have more important things to take care of!

And Happy Valentine’s Day!!!!

Posted in House, Holidays, Val, Weekends, Travels, Rants | No Comments »

January 2, 2009 by samantha.

As the second day of the new year comes to an end, I am happy to report that I have no complaints. Things are going well and hopefully it is a sign.

Yesterday, I went couch shopping. I am a great window shopper. I can window shop all day long and never spend a dime! But I think it is time to get some new couches. Since no one is buying furniture, I can get a couch, loveseat, coffee table, and end tables for a steal. And since mom and dad are still visiting, they can be here for the delivery. I think I should go back and look at the couch again tomorrow.

I did buy some much-needed bookshelves yesterday. I am anxiously awaiting them to be delivered. Again, mom will be here for the delivery. Parents can come in handy! Right now I have piles of books all over the house. There is no rhyme or reason to the piles either. In other words, organized me has my beloved books in stacks of disarray! On Tuesday, they will finally have a designated home. I am already organizing my books, on my new bookshelves, in my head.

Today was a big day for Val. She went to the vet and had her teeth cleaned. I am happy to report that she had no cavities and had to have no teeth extracted. Currently, she is asleep on her throne, gums a little sore, and trying to forget the necessary torture she had to endure. Thankfully, she will not have to go through the experience again for a year or two.

While Val was at the vet, I took my mom to get a pedicure. Both us were overdo for one and enjoy the experience very much. I now have beautiful hot pink toes. Aren’t you glad to know that? We ran a couple more errands before rescuing Val.

Today I also finished my first book of 2009.

Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World was as hokey as it sounds. And I loved every minute of it. The book is about Dewey’s life as a library cat in a small Iowa town. It chronicles how he touched people and helped a town weather it’s hard times. It is not a book for everyone. It is sappy as can be, but I found it an enjoyable read.

Posted in House, Holidays, Val, Family, Books, Rants | 1 Comment »

January 1, 2009 by samantha.

I hope all your wishes come true in 2009. Good luck on your resolutions.

I am not a cat person, but I love this video! Happy New Year!!!

November 27, 2008 by samantha.

Well, my mom and I had great plans for Thanksgiving. We thought we had everything worked out. To bad things did not happen as we had hoped.

Our plan was to go to Canet Plage (a local beach town) and feast on fresh, delicious seafood. We had talked about it when we were back in the States. We dreamed of plates of wonderful seafood last night. We quickly got ready so we could head toward the beach today. We typed the address into the GPS and got on our way. In no time we were in Canet Plage. Immediately we noticed how dead the place was, but it made sense to us. Canet Plage is a popular summer destination, but is very dead in the winter. Still, a few of the restaurants stay open for tourists like us. In our rush to get to our Thanksgiving feast, we forgot that most restaurants in France do not open until noon or later for lunch. We arrived in Canet Plage at 11:15. There was nothing to keep us entertained until the restaurants opened, so we left. We have vowed to try again at a later date and arrive at a later time!

So, our Thanksgiving seafood feast became a little lunch at a local pizza joint. I think both my mom and I were both disappointed. To make ourselves feel better, we sent shopping for some “necessities”.

We had my Aunt Rose and Aunt Vivi over this afternoon to catch up on the gossip. It was fun to listen to them talk and laugh. They are always exciting to have over. I do not think that either of them knows how to be boring!

I do not know what are plans for tonight. I think we will stay in and watch some French TV. The television shows here are… interesting. Maybe we’ll make ourseveles a little dinner and play some cards.

Even though our Thanksgiving plans did not work out, we still had a great time. And we were happy to be away from the family and all the chaos!

Posted in Europe, Holidays, Travels, Family | No Comments »

November 2, 2008 by samantha.

Halloween has been my favorite holiday since I can remember. This year lived up to my expectations. I hung out with friends and “family”. We had a bonfire and roasted hot dogs and marshmallows as we passed out candy. I saw some great costumes. I am hoping to put some pictures of some of the cuties I saw, but I have to get permission first! It is always so sad when Halloween comes to an end. Now I have to wait another whole year before it comes around again. I should start planning now!

Today, I went to see W with a good friend of mine. We were both disappointed by the movie. In fact, we both found the movie a bit boring. I expected more from Oliver Stone. I wanted to be shocked and learn something new. Instead, the movie showed us everything that we already knew. Josh Brolin did a fantastic job as W. His accent and mannerisms were perfect. I can see him getting an Oscar nomination for his performance.

Now I am gearing up for Tuesday night. I am going to a friend’s house to watch the results. I know I will need to be monitored. I am so nervous. I hope the right guy wins. And in California, there are so many controversial props on the ballot. I have already decided that I will dress all in black on Wednesday if I am not happy with the results. I may have to take Wednesday off to morn. This election is so exciteing! No matter who wins, history will be made! It is an exciting time! I wonder how many of us will be disappointed come Wednesday.

Posted in Holidays, Friends, California, Weekends, Movies, Rants | No Comments »

August 24, 2008 by samantha.

And thank god!! I do not think I have ever been so happy to have summer over. My new students arrive tomorrow and I bet they have no idea what they are in for. That idea puts a smile on my face. As horrible as things have been, I did have good summer. I read a bunch of books, saw a ton of movies, and had some wonderful excursions. Too bad the sad outweighed the good. Like I have been telling myself, this too will pass.

On a few bright notes, I will be officially tenured tomorrow. It is so nice to know in this current economy that I will not have to worry too much about losing my job. A few of us are going to go out to dinner to celebrate our tenure. We worked hard and we deserve it. And now we can really raise some hell!! Also, my trip to France is booked! Yippee!! I will be spending the all-American holiday of Thanksgiving in rude old France! I am so excited. I have not been back in so long and I am anxious to get there.

Finally, I found some interesting news stories that I wanted to share. As you all know, I am a huge fan of Netflix. I read an article this morning that made me begin to panic. Is Netflix bad for the environment?!?!?

I read this one in the New York Times. Do you think of a tatooed, biker guy as an animal lover? It made me cry and smile at the same time. It just reminds us that we should never judge a book by its cover.

And how do we feel about Joe Biden as Obama’s running mate?

Posted in Holidays, Travels, Rants | 5 Comments »

July 18, 2008 by samantha.

Today, my mom and I ventured to Santa Ana to see the Terra Cotta Chinese Statues. It was an awesome exhibit. The tour was self-guided and over flowing with information. The statues had amazing detail. Each statue is unique and life-sized. I would love to go to China to see the actual burial ground.

While we were in Santa Ana, I bought my mom her Mother’s Day present.

It is a purse made from seat belts. The purse is really cute. I bought a Seatbelt bag a few months ago and I love it.

Also, my mom has discovered Nintendo Wii. Tonight we played Golf. I can say that neither of us will be turning pro anytime soon. Maybe, we have a chance to become Pro Bowlers.

I had to share my mom’s Wii Bowling outfit. Snazzy, ain’t it?!?!?

And before I forget, we saw Journey to the Center of the Earth yesterday. It was great and it was in 3D. I throughly enjoyed the movie and I highly recommend it.

Posted in Holidays, California, Family | 2 Comments »

July 4, 2008 by samantha.

How ironic that on the fourth of July, known around the world as America’s Independence Day, I lose my freedom. My parents arrive this evening. They will be here for a month. Please start praying for me now.

Posted in Holidays, Family | No Comments »

June 18, 2008 by samantha.

I love to complain that I am too busy. When I am not running around, I get depressed. This last month has been so crazy that I have neglected my blogging duties. I am sure all of you are crying and worrying about my whereabouts. You can all relax! I am here and I have a lot to say!

Over Memorial weekend, I went to Solvang and Santa Barbara.

Solvang is a little Danish town hidden in California. There is not a lot to do there, but it was a lot of fun to visit. We drove around to some of the local little hamlet. If I were a wine taster, there would have been more to do. Santa Barbara was gorgeous. It reminded me a lot of Santa Monica, but it had a more relaxed atmosphere. It was a great road trip and made me eager for more.

The last two weeks of school flew by. We had assemblies, finals, field trips, promotion ceremonies, and minimum days. As a matter of fact, the whole year flew by. I never felt like I really got to bond with my kids. We moved a mile a minute and there was not a lot of time to get to know them. I am sure they are very happy to be out of my class and away from the witch!

This past weekend, I went down to San Diego to visit my grandmother and crazy aunt. After what happened this weekend, no one can deny that my aunt is crazy. Sometimes you have to call a spade a spade! The highlight of the weekend was hiking up Battle Mountain to the cross with Val.

I did the hike once before and I do not remember it being that bad. I was wrong. At times I felt I was climbing at a ninety-degree angle.

Going up was bad, but going down was terrifying. I thought I would be tumbling down like a rock! I am happy to say that I made it down safely and I am ready to make the hike again! Of course, Val had no trouble. She was running up and down the mountain with ease.

Today, I spent the day at the spa. We didn’t do anything special. We hung out in the pools and played in the mud. It was so relaxing and just what the doctor ordered. We are thinking of making it a yearly event. It as funny how many teachers were at the spa! I guess I am not the only one that needs to reboot after a long year.

Along with everything else I have done, I have done some good hikes, read a multitude of books and seen a ton of movies. Thankfully, most of the books were good. I wish I could say the same about the movies. I am craving a good movie. Any ideas?

Posted in School, Holidays, Friends, California, Ophelia, Books, Family, Travels, Rants | No Comments »

May 11, 2008 by samantha.

I am no going to say it, but I am so looking forward to Monday! This weekend was a long and adventurous one. All day Friday I had a migraine. My migraines rarely leave me incapacitated, so I usually work through them. The pain is bad, but not bad enough to stay home. Still, I drove down to San Diego to my grandmother for Mother’s Day. My cousin was down there as well and I was anxious to spend time with bother of them. Too bad, my cousin decided to get sick. He was nauseous and in a lot of pain. I took him to the emergency room only to find out that it was food poisoning. It is always better to be safe than sorry.

Saturday started out good. My grandmother and I drove over to Encinitas for lunch and some window shopping. It was a lot of fun and nice to spend some time with my grandmother. We came home and joined a few more family members for a Mother’s Day dinner. I love my family, but I can only take them in small doses. Needless to say, dinner was almost too much for me. Then the night took an interesting turn. A skunk sprayed Val. I do not think that it was a direct hit, but enough to cause Val to sleep in the garage. We tried washing her in tomato juice in vain, but she is going to the groomer anyway.

For those of you concerned, but cousin is almost back to normal. He will survive!

My only other big news is that we have tickets for France!! I could not be happier! We are staying about a month and even making a quick stop in London. I am so excited.

Posted in Val, Holidays, Weekends, Travels, Family, Rants | No Comments »