Xmas??

I don't feel very Xmasy this year. When I go out to the stores, it feels wierd, cause there is hardly anyone shopping....makes me think I shouldn't be there...I should be home, not spending my money, saving it just in case....but there sure are some great sales going on.
Ron and I have become intimate with Walmart since we have been buying things there for the house in Pioneer. I keep thinking that I should buy stock in Walmart. It is always packed...I never stepped foot in it until this year...look what I have missed....people (especially in Jackson, where Walmart is THE only store) who look like they just came out of the woods , scruffy beards, beat up clothes, missing teeth, with a slime trail following them as they wander aimlessly about, some of them yelling for their fellow Walmart visitors, and/or screaming at their children who look like orphans....precariously perched on the side of the shopping carts...(dont they know that the little ones can fall and hurt themselves badly?) .... are these people horrified by what could happen in their world due to the stock market and the world economic crisis... They aren't home saving their money...they are at the world's greatest importer of Chinese made items...who knows maybe things will change and USA will start making "things" again and in the future we will have the oppportunity to buy them at the last remaining retail chain, Walmart...guess I should buy some stock!
Mary

Ice. Ice. Baby.

As you probably will see on the news this morning, we're having a bit of an ice storm here in Massachusetts. Power has been off since about midnight. No heat, no lights. Luckily, it's not that cold...only about 33. Also, luckily, our local Starbucks has power!

We have about 3 downed branches this size in our yard. It's pretty impressive how much ice fell off of them. When we drove to Starbucks, we had to take several detours because entire streets are blocked by downed trees.

When we walked out to this branch, I told Carmen that we should make margaritas! (you know...with all the ice.)

We were supposed to get about 2 inches of rain last night. Since our yard is a big soupy mess, that sounds about right. It's supposed to stop raining around noon, then warm up a little...but then get down in the teens tonight. Good thing tomorrow is Saturday!

art website finally

Hi all,

So update...I have three of my gilcee prints in a retail store in Sutter Creek (near Pioneer) and will be putting another 5 or 6 in this week with more to follow!

I found someone in Jackson (near Pioneer) to produce the gilcees for me and have one more store in Pioneer wanting to sell my art, and another store (saddlery shop) near Stockton interested. My work might also be exhibited in the Restaurant at the Jackson Rancheria (Indian gambling joint). So I have finally worked on my website which is www.FineArtStudioOnline.com/MaryPauer

and have some more work to do on it.

So how did this all happen?? Don't know but it sure has been easy. I have one piece that I would like to show in Studio Seven in Pleasanton, which is a pretty nice art gallery. I am a bit nervous about sending it off (jpeg via the internet of course) but the worst that can happen is she says No!

On another note, I go to Dr. Larson at UCSF (neurosurgeon) on Wednesday this week to speak again about the Deep Brain Stimulation. Am so uncomfortable, actually in alot of pain sometimes, so it is time to get this done.

If you haven't heard, Chris starts BMW program tomorrow....hoorah! Seven months of full time school so he wont be working part time any longer. Instead of the 280 lbs of books the course usually requires, he will be getting a new lap top from BMW with the books downloaded on it! Lots of homework each nite...but he should be graduating with a job at a dealership!

Kaitlyn is fine, her social life is flourishing. Still not interested in getting drivers permit!

Ron is taking the month of December off starting on Tuesday. Linda is coming on the 25th for a few days and we will take her to see the house.

Got to run!

Love you!

Mary

Giving things away- Freecycle

Have you heard of "freecyle.org"? It is a website that directs you to a local yahoo group that is specific for the area that you live in. They have one for Tempe. People put all sorts of things that they want to give away and therefore keep things out of the landfills.

The other day I offered a pile of 20 or so gift boxes ( you know the ones I keep collecting every year, even though whenever I buy a gift it always comes with a gift box). I posted it on the group and later that afternoon some lady picked them up from my front porch! Awesome! Steve had a pants/press valet that we have moved around the country five times that was a periodic annoyance to me whenever I looked at it. I put it on freecycle and within an hour , I had 12 emails from people who wanted it. ( I started to doubt myself for wanting to get rid of it because it was desired by so many people!)

Anyway it is very easy because you don't have to gather up a big load to take to a drop off spot. If you are inspired to get rid of something, just put it on freecycle and it will be gone.

Good luck on your job interviewing Mom, and keep us posted.

Love,
Anne

I'm excited ! I've interviewed friday on the phone for a job at the Verde Valley Guidance Clinic which looks very promising! It is located in Cottonwood and if I get the job I would live in Sedona, one of my favorite places as you know.

I'm having to overcome my mental and emotional obstacles to pursuing my dream of living in a place like Sedona. At first I was scared to death, waking up with anxiety and telling myself to forget moving, just stay here! Guess I was scared to give up what I have. Now I am not scared but moderately excited. Then there is inertia - I'm contented, like my job, liking my house more and more as I fix it my way. Esp as I look around and think of leaving it. But I think if I stay here I am cutting myself off from the new possibilities that lie in the place I dream of, that I would be settling for the status quo, preparing for old age by playing it safe. And it seems like I am ready for an adventure, and I'm not getting any younger!

I have to consider the possibility I won't get the job, but I think I will and am proceeding like I will .


I am in a quandry about whether to rent or try to sell my house, which I think is my biggest obstacle. (Any advice is welcome.) No matter which I do, I'm purging my house of unnecessary, unloved, or unwanted stuff that, even though I don't consider myself anywhere near a packrat, has accumulated over the years. I am hindered by an emotional/mental obstacle to throwing away good stuff. I got this from Granny I am sure -you know how she is always passing along stuff nobody wants - a very annoying habit that I am also guilty of foisting on my kids! Every time I want to toss something my mind automatically thinks "who can I give this to?". It's amazing how ingrained this is and how gut- wrenching it is to put stuff in a trash bag to either throw away or take to charity. But I am persisting and it does feel goodto lighten up! I even found a place to take "building materials" for recycling - old boards, tiles, drywall, etc that were collecting cobwebs in the garage. I got my guest bathroom updated with new faucets and towel rods.

Next I will try to get a shower stall door replacement for the master bath. If I sell I might get new countertop in the bathroom too.l

I interview in person with DR G on sunday in Cottonwood. Wish me luck!
I will call a realtor to show my some rentals in Sedona while I am up there too.

Just watched PBS special about Dale Chihuly glass artist - there is a special exhibit of his glass throughout the desert botanical garden that I just bought a ticket for -it should be beautiful lit up at night.

The Bright Side...

They say you're always supposed to look at the bright side of things. You know, like the glass is half empty...

Well today, it was really cold out morning when I took the dogs out into the yard for their morning ritual...and I smiled at the fact that frozen dog poo is much less unpleasant to scoop up and discard than regular dog poo.

A little while later, I went upstairs and crawled back into bed with Carmen. "It's SO cold," she said. Yeah, but if it was warm, I'd be out riding my bike instead of snuggling with you. "True-dat," she said.

Later it started drizzling, raining, snowing, raining, sleating, etc. I didn't feel so positive about that, but it did give us a great opportunity to put up our Xmas tree...

Update from Scott & Alice

Hi everyone-
Scott's Grandfather passed away last Sunday, and we went to Albany on Tuesday night for the Service on Wednesday. It was a really nice service, with so many people, but of course really sad even though he had a long happy life. Scott's Grandmother is still alive. I wish I had known them earlier, they seem like amazing people- nuturing and fun-loving. They had a large loving family- four biological children, three adopted children, and took care of several foster children over the years.
On a lighter note, today we had a party at the house with about 25 friends and 4 kids, a non-shower, I guess you'd call it. It was so nice to see everyone and celebrate the upcoming arrival of Baby G. We had a great time. We had everyone write name suggestions & put them in a vase, since we are still stumped.
We are looking forward to Thanksgiving and visiting with Scott's family & with Doug, Carmen & Carmen's parents. I am really excited to play some mexican train if I can stay awake:)
Only 7 more weeks until the baby comes, give or take. We are getting ready little by little. By the way, we are registered for a few things at BabiesRus, if anyone asks.
Love to you all.