Friday, September 26, 2008

I forgot to post pictures from our Thanksgiving Extravaganza!

The turkey turned out well (Carmen came and helped me prep it the day before and then she and John came over early to help me flip it halfway through the cooking - it ensures a more moist bird, at least that's what Martha Stewart - and Carmen - say). Thanks to Carmen for helping! And if you're reading this (which I'm not sure you do) have that baby already! ;)



Eaters of dinner


A school of Salmon. Get it? Man I crack myself up.


Yay food!
Erik having pie. And pleased about it.


Carmen and I split dessert because we wanted to try everything but didn't want to eat whole pieces. Baxter was just hoping for a nibble.

Lindsay isn't the only one

having trouble leaving comments - every time I try to, I get a "busy signal" from the internet. Someone call Al Gore and tell him I'd dissatisfied.

So work is going well. I'm through training and I'll be in my office (re: cubicle) tomorrow, all by my lonesome. I think I'll be okay though - today I was SUPER busy in another office, so I learned a LOT! For those of you who don't know, here's the breakdown of what I do: The state of Hawaii only allows cizens to be on "assistance" for 5 years. After 5 years you are done. No loop hole, no moving to another state, NOTHING, you are on your own. Well, in order to keep their assistance (and hopefully become self sufficient) the state has a program in which they partner with community business and agree to reiburse wages ($7.25/hour plus 50 cents for every dollar on top of that) in return for the employer hiring one of our clients (who may or may not be reliable/willing/experienced), with the idea that the employee will receive the training they need to do the job. That's where I come in. Basically I match the clients with the jobs they like and try to make them fit. If they don't fit, I find something else. If the employee won't work, I recommend that they get their benefits taken away. Basically I'm a social worker without a license, but technically I don't work for the state so I get paid better! ;) It's fun, but my GOD it's a lot of paperwork and record keeping. Luckily I'm crazy anal enough to almost enjoy that sort of thing.

So in a few days Erik and I take off for Massachusetts to see some folks and attend a wedding before d-day. I'm really looking forward to it. I miss having Dave and Vicki around! But truthfully I'm dreading watching Erik say goodbye to everyone. I hate goodbyes, even when they're not my own.

So do you watch the Houston Animal Cops? If you don't, don't start. If you do, you know our plight. We watch it A LOT and each time we look at eachother and say "I want another dog", and we found one online too - at the MAUI SPCA. Erik was FULLY ready to ferry to Maui and back on Saturday to "interview" him with Bax and go pick him up (his name is Harry, but I was pusshing to change it to Kevin) but when I emailed, he already had a home. :( You'd think we'd have learned our lesson of adopting from the SPCA the first time... Maybe instead of adopting another dog with only one "parent" home, we should just donate.

Oh! And now some pictures from our visit with Dave and Vicki (and Maui!!). They are in no particular order because I can't really figure out how to get blogger to do what I want it to to do.


In this picture I was teaching Vicki the "baby shark" song. Erik was proud, can't you tell? Why weren't we paying attention to the Luau?


Still not paying attention to the luau. And also after having enjoyed a little (free) livation.

At the "3 Bears" waterfall. I'd really like to tell you that the reason I'm not in it is because I'm taking it, but lets face facts folks. I'm not a hiker. I sat on the wall nearby reading by book. Dry and clean.

FYI
This is us at a beach on our island.
Vic was excited. And wet.
When in Rome (or in the Dole Pineapple Plantation) do as the pineapples do.
Mary likes leis.
Us chilling by a waterfall.

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

I'll do better soon

I promise.

I have pictures from Thanksgiving and Maui to share! Hopefully before we take off for Mass in about 10 days.

Meanwhile, I'm a worker bee and I love my job. But I can tell it's going to be exhausting in a few respects.

I'm off to make the bed. I traded Erik for unloading and reloading the dishwasher, and I haven't finished my end of the bargain yet.

Until next time!

Sunday, September 7, 2008

Dave and Vicki are here

and fun is being had, so my update won't be very long.

So we're heading off to the North Shore today. I think we're hitting Turtle Bay and the falls at Waiamea. Last night we had some friends over for dinner and the 6 if us played a game of Taboo! Even half blind Erik was able to give clues and help his team squeak into a second place victory (yes, there were only two teams. We played boys against girls.)

He seems to be doing pretty well. 2 days ago he was hurting, but the last two days he's gotten progressively better! Great news!!

OH! I can cross something off my list of things to get once I have a job, I got the bag I wanted! It was on a big sale when I went in to check on it, and I just had to have it. Erik was there, and rolled his eyes, but he knew it was a good deal too! I love new purse day!

Okay, gotta go get ready for the beach! (And the banana lava flows!!)

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

A funny thing happened on the way to the commissary

Goodwill called and offered me the job! It's conditional based on passing a drug screen and a background check, but that won't be a problem. I'm SO excited.

To celebrate, Melissa joined us for dinner at Itallian Deliciousness, Ichi did too, but he didn't bring me a congratulatory present like Melissa did so she got mentioned first! ;) Before that though, Erik and I had to go to PearlRidge Mall so he could get measured for a tux for a wedding he's in (we tried doing it ourselves... It was like the blind leading the blind). The she department at the store we were at was RIGHT there, and the sale rack called to me. I found 4 cute pairs of shoes at AAAAAMAZING prices! I can't wait to work, if not just so I can wear my new, cute heels!! I also got some new work clothes, and Erik got a ShopVac (we're all about compromise, you know).

So after I went to GW today to fill out some more paperwork, they told me I had to go get this pee test done. Okay, whatev. I get there, and there were SO many people in the waiting room there wasn't enough seats! I waited for an hour and a half (now, I had needed to go since before I got to GW, but I knew I'd have to take a test so I held it) I asked if there was a bathroom. Nope. No public bathroom. Without thinking I said "But I'm here to take a PEE test!" and she laughed and explained that the bathrooms are "special" and the people in there have to have a monitor watch them come in and out so they didn't leave their pee behind for someone else to use (like I care enough about helping a druggie friend - not that I have any - pass a pee test that I'd hang out in a hot room that smelled of body odor for an hour and a half, but maybe that's just me). So I asked what time they opened. 7AM. So I'm going tomorrow.

And with that I'm off to bed, I'm not feeling too great. My sinuses are still acting funny, and I swear, every bone in my face is throbbing.

Erik is still working on the table, pretty sure I'm getting high from the fumes (will that keep me from passing my blood test? ;) ) and tomorrow he's having his eye procedure done, so keep him in your thoughts (I'm so weird about eyes!).

G'night!