Another week in the can

Portland Trip

Just got back from our shopping trip to Portland. A good time was had by all. For an extensive recap, visit Mare's blog. I want to thank the girls for putting up with Liz the Crank for a couple of days. Apparently it is not a good idea to go on a shopping trip a week before you have to fork out thousands of dollars for a lawn. This put a damper on my spending, but even with that I did not find the deals the other girls did (note the lack of mentions on Mare's blog about what I bought... that's because I bought the least of all). Not for lack of trying, mind you. I saw plenty of stuff that I loved, none of it on sale, and all of it expensive. The other girls walked out of the Fox Run Mall with bags upon bags, and I walked out with a couple of things that neatly fit into my purse. It was a sad moment, as I think it spelled the end of my hardcore shopping abilities.

Equally as sad was watching the sheer glee of the 3 girls running in to shoe stores. It's not that I don't want $14 shoes, it's that I can't have $14 shoes. Maybe I need my own telethon. Liz needs a new pair of shoes, please call now! Our lines are open.

I seem to have inherited my mother's taste for all things expensive, as well as her insanely narrow feet. I must marry rich. If you're rich, call me: I'm available! For a limited time only. Offer void in Quebec and Utah.

I did get 3 shirts, 2 tank tops, 2 DVDs, 2 bowls, some underwear, a pair of pants, a set of coasters, muffin mix, pop, a birthday card and no large Visa bills, so it all worked out in the end.


Lawn/Yard

The subcontractor hired by the City was by this week to sod the ditch. I came back from the trip to see the work had been done while I was gone, and that I had a huge amount of sod still sitting on my property. Hmmm, free sod? Alas no, they're coming to get it today.

Next week (or the week after) is the target installation date for my hydroseeding. Which means I need to finish that weeding I started a couple of weeks ago, remove the potted plants that Regan planted last fall, and have Dad move the giant rock that was by the back door into the empty spot where the potted plants were. Maybe this time I can weed without killing my muscles for the following 2 weeks, that'd be nice.

Dad is building the retaining wall by the back door today. Have to go home at lunch and look at the brick before he starts, as it ended up being different than what we'd picked out at Shaw Brick.


MST Night

MST Night is all set for next Wednesday, the 31st, which is also Mare's birthday. I decided I am unable to host it outside because I won't be able to procure the projector and screen, so I guess inside it will be. Since it is a work night, I'll be aiming for 6pm start for BBQ and 7pm start for movies? Sound good?


Tucson

I ordered maps of Tucson that I had hoped would show up in time for me to pick them up at the PO box on my way back from Portland. No such luck. If anyone is headed to Calais before Sept. 15, please let me know and perhaps you could check the mailbox for me?

Tucson is a scant 3 weeks away now. Wow. Seemed like it was so far off and now it is so close. Scary, in a way, as I have a lot riding on one particular aspect of this trip. Not to mention trying to keep a couple of people from getting grand ideas for work, which could mean huge changes.

I wrote to a friend of mine from New Jersey who always attends the conference. We met in 2002 in Chicago and always have fun together every year since. She wrote back to tell me she won't be there this year, or any year, because they have switched software vendors. This really blows. I was looking forward to seeing her and hanging out in our off time. I am totally bummed out by this. Now there's a hardcore shopper. I will miss her terribly.


Always a bridesmaid, never a bride

I was officially asked last night to be in my older brother's wedding. It's me as bridesmaid, the bride's pregnant sister as maid of honor, the bride's brother-in-law as groomsman, and my younger brother as best man. So a sibling bridal party, which I think is really nice. The colors for the wedding are white, silver and cranberry. This means myself (a size 0) and a 7-month pregnant lady have to find dresses which are the same color but can be different styles. They are in Montreal, and I am in SJ. This is not going to be easy. The bride hasn't even gotten her own dress yet... she sounds stressed and could use my help, esp with her sister being pregnant and also has a toddler. I told her I'd do anything I could from here. She's going to go out with her mother & sister and start looking in dress shops, and then I will likely go up in October to try things on, etc. I am beginning to think though that it might be a better plan to have dresses made. With the wedding 3 months away is that enough time to get a bridesmaid dress made? We could buy the fabric from the same place, and then each have our dress made in our own city. I might poke around Fabricville this weekend and look at cranberry/burgundy fabric and dress patterns, and maybe hit up Mare/Steph for some recent bridal magazines if they still have them.

This marks wedding #9 that I will be involved in. I had a few years off there, but I must say it'll be nice to be back in the groove! I am a professional, after all. I know how to march up that aisle in heels with the correct timing. Break out the flowers, I'm back, baby!