Love the monsoon season

Last night my section had a party and then afterwards the plan was to go watch a coworker perform in a play. Party went well, despite the pouring down rain for much of it, however by the time we left. Unknown to us, the rain earlier had managed to destroy the lobby of the theatre we were going to see the play in. But after a 30 minute delay, and the loss of the lighting and mics, we got to see the show. It was FANTASTICALY Funny:-D
Anyway, I walked outside earlier, and this is what I saw:
Completely underwater.

Another view

Cell phone cameras come in handy at times

I don't know if you all can see, but there are two rainbows. I snapped this as I walked out of the gym earlier this evening. It was GORGEOUS:)

I just think this is cute

http://www.randomkittengenerator.com/
I like cats:-D

Not something one sees everyday

Now there really is three

Me, Grandma, Now Mummy: http://triathlonmum45.blogspot.com/

Rains coming down here:)

First Monsoon of the season

One wonders if this is an AZ thing, but the first legit monsoon of the season was set to roll through Tucson this evening, and as I was arriving home after having a flat fixed, I noticed many people out on their balconies and porches to watch the magnificent glorious fury. I love monsoons myself, thought I really am not so fond of the thunder (it scares me). There is nothing like a hot, sticky morning, broken in the afternoon by the storm. Arizona, not known for humidity, but get a storm rolling through and it is as wet and sticky as a Georgia summer day. The lightening is the greatest show on earth, the thunder its soundtrack, and the smell of the rain making it one of my favorite things ever.

yes, I do still exist:-D

Things have been a little on the very busy side for me, which is always great. Daniel came home in May for his month and we spent a wonderful week in Texas kicking back doing nada. I had previously been assigned to another section to help, so I have been working I had 3 different sections under my belt and life was a blast:) I had also applied for the job as one of the section managers assistant, a job I really REALLY wanted. It took what felt like forEVER, but naturally I got it (I was already working for her, that really kinda helped) , so Monday I spent all day at an orientation drinking coffee praying I wouldn't pass out, as I don't do briefings. They tend to bore me, especially when most of the information was stuff I already knew. I am now a full Raytheon employee, with the right to pay $120 a month for health insurance, but I also get paid vacay! yay:-D Currently my cubicle (it really is one) is stuffed with my bosses boxes, I still have no computer, but life is going very well.

Rain over memorial day in Texas:)

One of the most beautiful sights ever!

Just a little hot here in Tucson

Line dancing

Out at a country club I go to infrequently her in town, I'm standing outside talking to a gentleman I had seen dance before discussing dancing. I told him I couldn't dance and he responded "you were in the military, right?" yes. "well if you can do facing moves, you can line dance." he had assumed that I didn't know how to dance, but that was the funniest explaination of line dancing ever heard.



EDIT: 5/8/07: Ok since DD pointed this out to me, I have to fix it. For the record, I DO know how to dance, I am incapable of it due to one very destroyed knee.

Soon, I hope, good news

In the meantime, I will twiddle my thumbs and continue being the fabulous admin that I am.
Its been very uneventful in my life recently, save for a trip back east and those are always fun. The kids grow up before you know it that's for sure. I bought a new car on Sunday, stupid me I know, but the Neon's trans was going and the sunroof had just broken. For a thousand down I now have an 06 Pontiac Vibe, all white, less then 10,000 miles on the car. Very very nice. I fell in love with these driving them as rentals back east and now I own one. Pictures to follow I promise.
Husband returns in a couple of weeks, I am counting the days LOL. Love my cats and all, but nothing beats Daniel for a warm body in bed next to me;)

(OOPS thought I published this yesterday)

The view from my room.

The room was really nice at the Omni.

I love the patterns you see.

It looks like snow but its the clouds:)

Pictures from the Ren Festival

A good friend of mine and I hit the highways yesterday for Apache Junction, AZ, where they have the AZ Rennaisance Festival each year. I LOVE the Faire! The only rub in our day was on the way up, I got pulled for speeding (I would like to take this opportunity to point out I was on the freeway, in the middle of traffic, and I do drive a red car. But I was doing 87 (My speedometer said under 85)sorry for the double parentheses:) Anyway, the day was a blast, and I got home late last night, forgot to set my alarms, so when I woke up this morning I was already well on my way to being 20 minutes late to work, but it wasn't a big deal, I felt great, the day was starting off great, the sun was shining, and for the first time in a LONG time there was NO Traffic on the 10. Of course, when it comes to me and cars things come in twos, so yesterday a ticket, this morning, a tire that blows while I am driving in the middle lane of the highway. No worries, I am fine, and got over quickly. I have AAA so I called them, but then had the nerve-wracking experience of waiting for almost an hour while rush hour traffic flies by. ick! now I have to take my car in and have it fixed, but the tire is still under warrenty so good.

One very pretty red-tailed hawk

Tortuga twins show

Funny shows

Now this is a meal

just try this

http://www.frivolity.com/teatime/Songs_and_Poems/english_is_tough_stuff.html
It's funny.

Why I love having a Little Sister

Because I can go places with her, that I wouldn't go alone because its more fun to share it with someone!
(I had this GREAT post typed up, and lost it because I got busy elsewhere. My final point was that you all need to go volunteer with Big Brothers/Big Sisters because its very fulfilling and I love it)

Mountain Lion at the Sonoran Desert Museum


I LOVED the Antique car ride at Old Tucson as a kid and I STILL love it today.

Can you Can Can?

Just a bunch of pictures

I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE planes:) And I REALLY LOOOOOVED the airshow this weekend. (My arms are a tribute to that. I forgot sunscreen and was out long enough that they are still crispy red)


I'm bored Mom!
See me flop:-D

"did you do something with your hair?"

Ok, to set the record completely straight, I am, by birth, a true blonde. By that I mean I grew up with platinum blonde hair that was my own. Now granted, as I have aged it has darkened to where I am what my friend calls a dishwater blonde. Either way, I am a natural blonde. So, when I come prancing into work this morning with a head of extremely dark brunette hair, you'd think people would notice the hair. Nope, instead, I get questions such as the above ROFL. Mind you I am not digging for compliments, but when people have noticed there is something different you would think they'd notice the DARK hair ROFL ROFL:) I just think its funny as all hell.
and for the record, I did not start this weekend intending on becoming a brunette, I planned on becoming a Redhead. That didn't happen, and after a couple of attempts at correction after the red went screwy, I purchased a bottle of light brown, and brunette I became. It is my personally held belief that a bottle of brown will fix all hair sins:)
Anyway, I HATE Mondays, but back to work with me.

yeah yeah yeah

I'm weighing in now on the whole VA debate, considering I do have some personal experience. But all I have to say is, whats with the major delay in the media with these stories: Example, I knew about the stupidity at Abu Ghraib almost from the time we landed there. It was via Rumint (Rumor Intelligence) of course, but Rumint is pretty accurate at times. When did the story really crack? April, I'd already been there 4 months.
Now again with the VA but I tell you this, things have been this way for YEARS!! Glad to have the publicity, now lets fix it shall we!!!!!!!!! Anyway, enough ranting from me.
Life is good, but quiet here. I volunteered with Big Brothers/Big Sisters and have a Little Sister I do things with a couple of times a month. Its great and a lot of fun. We were going skiing this weekend but it got warm here and thus no snow on Mount Lemmon (Be quiet Mum I know you're glad for that). I enjoy it and it is fulfilling.
Outside of those activities I live quietly at home, watching and lately doing a lot of reading again.

yeah yeah yeah

I'm weighing in now on the whole VA debate, considering I do have some personal experience. But all I have to say is, whats with the major delay in the media with these stories: Example, I knew about the stupidity at Abu Ghraib almost from the time we landed there. It was via Rumint (Rumor Intelligence) of course, but Rumint is pretty accurate at times. When did the story really crack? April, I'd already been there 4 months.
Now again with the VA but I tell you this, things have been this way for YEARS!! Glad to have the publicity, now lets fix it shall we!!!!!!!!! Anyway, enough ranting from me.
Life is good, but quiet here. I volunteered with Big Brothers/Big Sisters and have a Little Sister I do things with a couple of times a month. Its great and a lot of fun. We were going skiing this weekend but it got warm here and thus no snow on Mount Lemmon (Be quiet Mum I know you're glad for that). I enjoy it and it is fulfilling.
Outside of those activities I live quietly at home, watching and lately doing a lot of reading again.

straaaange people I work with

Yesterday I recieved the task of making a list of all personnel working in one of our areas and making name plates for them. My boss specified that they could have their names typed as they wanted, ie no last name, nickname so on and so forth. One of the gentlemen requested that his name be put on the plate as Pissant. No, I'm not kidding, and yes, I did do it. This led to a discussion later on as to the spelling of the word, whether it should have been Pissaunt, or as I spelled it. Naturally, we googled it and this is what we found. (Full Definitions found here)

A person who existentially resembles a speck of dry shit hanging from an ass hair of a gorilla. esp. when said person realizes this fact and sharply hones it's "skill" (i.e. propensity) in the execution of self-serving, smarmy, meaningless, petty vendettas for short term gain, which all results in a net tally of gains which equals to zero. Not even gaining an ego boost, when you consider that their devolved impersonation of an ego is not of enough value to apply. Their biggest asset, if not their only one, tends to be their "skill" (i.e. propensity) to cheat. They are metaphorically refered to as ants due to their common abundance, and refered to as being urinated on ("piss-") due to their general insignificance and lack of impact.

Yeah, I had it right the first time. I love working with these people, its so much fun:-D
BTW, Happy Valentines day

I've been Tagged:-D

Counsel, I was grouchy yesterday, my wrist always hurts, I just ignore it:) After 2+ years, I am used to it. But I am always game for fun, so here goes:)

"Here are the "Official Rules""
Each player of this game starts with 6 weird things about you. People who get tagged need to write a blog of their own 6 weird things as well as state this rule clearly. In the end, you need to choose 6 people to be tagged and list their names. Don't forget to leave a comment that says you are tagged in their comments and tell them to read your blog."

ONLY 6? ooooo which ones to pick.

1. I am accused of being anal-retentive and Obsessive Complusive. Sue me, I like my M+M's sorted by color and having everything dress right dress including the sugar packets on the tables at restaurants.

2. I almost always insist on being the one to drive. Very few exceptions to this rule. Otherwise, I go neurotic.

3. I carry a Blackberry and a Palm plus many memory sticks and cards, for no reason. I don't use them for my job and since I am highly organized to start with, they are kinda redundant.

4. I LIKE cramming 60 hours worth of work into 40 hours a week and working for the most disorganized person in Raytheon. (I may hate myself being disorganized, but I have no problem with others who are)

5. I have 2 cats with whom I have regular conversations.

6. I will read ANYTHING. If I am really that bored, I will read the back of a cereal box, a 2 year old newspaper, anything so long as it has words.

Now the rule goes that I have to tag 6 other people. However having looked at the format of my blog, I just realized that I have lost my list of people I used to read regularily when I had time and now I don't have the links and the only person to which I do have a link, well, I would be very hard pressed to come up with anything weird about this woman: http://septuagenarian-sarah.blogspot.com/
so, consider yourselves ALL tagged, and come leave your websites so I can rebuild?

Is this what we Veterans deserve?

I have already told you about the phone call I recieved cancelling my surgery and pre-op due to the doctor leaving town. Yesterday I went in for another appointment to ask them to consider sending me out to a private surgeon to get this chip removed finally. The answer I got was this: 1. They are not sending anyone out.
2. They are not placing anyone on any waiting lists.
3. They really have no idea when they will have a new surgeon in, and
4. When they do get a doctor in, the process will have to start ALL OVER AGAIN!!!!!!!
What that means for me basically, is that I have to see the doctor in the clinic, be set up with a new appointment for pre-op and surgery, and as there is no priority list based on those who had their appointments cancelled soonest, the likelyhood of having to wait yet ANOTHER 9 months to have this wrist fixed, is HIGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't just go to a civilian doctor through my private insurance and get this done because my insurance won't cover me: Prior existing conditions require a 6-12 month wait, and my current insurance sucks anyway because I am out of state for them.
I am going to end this blog now, my wrist hurts and I can't type any more.

Fun times out of the city

Oh it's been a busy two weeks here for me. As of late I have been pulling dual duty as the admin for 2 individuals, one of whom is a daily challenge (I love it), so I have been cramming about 60 hours worth of work into 40 hours a week. But, I am good, so I can do it:-D
I was scheduled to have surgery on my wrist February 14th, with a preop last week. NIGHT before my preop, I get a message after leaving work: "We are sorry for the inconvienance but Dr. so and so is leaving town shortly and we have not identified a replacement for him. Your preop tomorrow is canceled and your surgery postponed indefinatly." (obviously paraphrased). WHAT???!!!! oh was I ever in a righteous tiff about that one. I immediatly got on the phone with patient advocacy, and got a voice mail! Ugh. I had a follow-up ojn my knee that Thursday, and determined that I would say my piece and whine, bitch, and otherwise make a ruckus until the situation was resolved to my satisfaction. As it turns out, I did none of the above, yet I still have an appointment for evaluation of my wrist for the possibility of outsourcing my surgery (how bad does that sound LOL) next Tuesday:-D So, we shall see if I need do more complaining. Oh and btw, patient advocacy did return my call, FRIDAY, after I had already dealt with the issue.

Shooting the little 22LR we own:-D I love shooting it, you don't feel a kick and it is just fun to plink with.



NEW TOYS!!!!! We finally traded in Daniel's cranky Cougar for this dream of a truck! It is a 2003 and had only 30,000 miles on it. Preeeeeeeetttttttyy:-D We need to install running boards, simply so I can get up into it without actually having to do a pull up hehehehehe, but it is a load of fun to drive.

NO, this does not belong to us. This belonged to a gentleman who was also out at the range that day. It was LOUD and a lot of fun to watch him fire it.

Snow?

What the freakin a is going on in this city? I awoke this morning to a car covered in an inch of ice, and once I got on the road and farther south, there was snow on the ground!! Having lived in Tucson before I know full well that this is not a phenomenon seen in this city that often. Naturally, schools are closed, and people are staying home because driving with a half inch of snow on the ground is just too much for those who are more accustomed to driving during monsoons. ROFL:-D it is awful pretty out.

Las Vegas

As you can probably tell from the pictures below, Las Vegas was a grand adventure. To my surprise I discovered I liked playing Roulette and was rather good at it. Mind you, I did NOT win substantial amounts of moneys, I left that to Daniel who did clean up at one game.
The city is grand, well, at least the strip is, as that was pretty much the only place we stayed:) We did visit the Atomic Testing Museum which was fascinating, but other then that excursion, we stayed to the strip. We saw a number of good shows, foremost being the Blue Man Group show at the Ventian which set the tone for the entire trip. It was singly the most fun entertaining show I have ever been to.
There was only one down moment on the trip, when my wallet was most likely picked from my pocket, but I only had about 20 dollars in it and everything else was easily cancelled and replaced. Astonishingly, getting on the flight home without ID was easy. I had to go through some special screening and they did search my carry on luggage, but other then that it was a breeze.
Back at home now, and glad to be, for like anything else that is rich, Las Vegas is good in moderation only :)

More LV Pictures

Even the McD's Sparkles
A WHOLE LOT OF PAPER! From the Blue Man Group Show (All recycled)
Just on of the many beautiful fountains.
All dressed up to go out:)
Arrrgh who goes there!!! At the Sirens of T.I. Show

Las Vegas Pictures 1

The view from our hotel room during the day and at night

This show ROCKED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I liked this car alot. It is a 1932 Rolls-Royce Phantom II
Daniel promptly wanted to go and win $70K for this vehicle, a 1970 Mercury Cyclone.

The Auto Collection was simply devine, in fact more then half of the pictures I took this trip came from here! I do love old cars:-D