In The Good Ol Summertime!

Our Fearless Retreat Leaders

My Friend Colleen who got herself in a water fight.

Yesterday we had our Student Services Division retreat. Summer quarter just ended last week and we will not have students again on campus until September 22nd, when the fall quarter begins. Things get a little quiet on campus and we can for a small time focus on our offices, our divisions, and plan for the next school year up ahead.

My Co-worker Srey

We met together to have a "light" breakfast. Some would call it a "Continental Breakfast". Each area of the division reported on what they have been doing or will be doing, and we also had discussion about staff recognition, how to treat each other in the work place, and customer service to our students. They tie to gather. I don't know about you, but where I work, most people are fun and helpful. There are some that are tense and are rude. It causes problems, of course. So we discussed how that might change.

Lindsey (my other co-worker) and her "red" team

We then got on a shuttle and went to the park that Riley and I had gone to see the concert at last week. The pictures which I have posted is of our retreat at the park. I want to remind you that we are having 90 degree plus weather here right now. So we are dressed for a vacation day.

My "green" team. L to R: Anna, Jean, Me, Ricardo (Michael missing)

Michael, our missing team member from picture above.

Happy Anniversary to my mom and Ron & Lavonna and Mark!

We're Having a Heat Wave!

By Judy

We have had a very mild summer. Most of us have felt we have been been left out of summer since we have had cool days and sometimes drizzle. Remember the day we had the "Next Step" at our college. We chose to have it in August because August hardly ever has rain. Sunshine causes us to put all "To Do Lists" aside and go do something... ANYTHING while it is sunny outside. We don't go to the movies, we don't work in the house... we get out of the house and into the sun! It makes us live in the moment and not take the sunshine for granted.

After all, we haven't had a summer in a usual way this year AND we will see lots of rain when fall and winter arrive. I almost hate to even mention fall and winter. It isn't like it is in California where there is just a slight change in temperatures. Here there are seasons and one can hear the ticking of the summer clock getting closer to when it will chime in fall. I don't mind September. And October is beautiful here with the changing colors in the trees. Some trees look like they are lit up with color. But when November, December, and January arrive, I will be complaining about how dark it is and the possiblity of snow again. By the time February ends, I'll be ready to jump on a plane to go visit my family in Southern California. I am just giving you a "heads up". But for now, I am going to enjoy the lazy days of summer while they are here.

http://homespunblessings.net

Our Birthday Month

It's Getting to be Party Time!

This month we celebrate a few birthdays. Just under this roof, there are three. Dave's birthday is August 22nd. Riley and I have a birthday on August 29th. The celebrations have begun already. Mom sent two birthday cards. One for Dave and I that plays a song about "Living Life" and one to Riley with the "Mickey Mouse" song. I can't get Riley to put it down. I finally got him interested in a Dora the Explorer DVD.

Poor Riley! He is going to have is tonsils out on August 26th; 3 days before his birthday. I told him that we will have a birthday cake before his surgury and an ice cream cake for is birthday day. He told me that all he wants is "Anything that is Transformers". Mom sent some money for him and so I will make sure that he gets many Transformer items for his birthday. I know there are bookbags, blankets, clothes, etc that all have Transformers on them so it will not be hard to do.

Yesterday morning due to retreats and vacations etc in August, my office went out for breakfast. We went out to a local restaurant. It was nice to get out of the office and joke around. We are usually very busy. Tomorrow we have an office retreat and the next day we have a division retreat. There is an element of surprise for the division retreat. They are putting us on shuttles and taking us somewhere. We don't know where.

Since the summer fairs (except for the Puyallup Fair) are now done, we (Lindsey, Srey, and I) are going to "dress" up like we are on vacation. The point is that our "summer" of three weeks (between fairs) has finally begun. Srey is planning on wearing his Hawaiian shirt, flip flops, and he is going to wear sun tan lotion on is nose. I am going to wear a visor, a Hawaiian shirt, sandals, wear a camera around my neck, wear sunglasses, and I am going to carry something but I don't know what yet. Lindsey will do the same. Hopefully they don't take us somewhere where we won't be dressed appropriately. That would be a turn of the tables, huh? I will see if we can have a picture of us three together so I can show you.

Riley is busy watching Dora still, but he has to get a bath so I better go. Just like Jules mentioned, I write my posts in the evening the night before. I change the date under "Post Options" to the next day and change the time to post at midnight. At midnight, the post automatically posts itself. It is a very helpful tool. I can write posts in advance and then modify them a little so they are updated. They are just like little planes lined up ready to land into blogland sometimes. Sometimes I am not inspired until the moment I sit down to write. But I always find something... not always interesting but something.

Have a good day!

Let's Talk...

Does anyone know how to save our blog posts to a flash drive or something? I would hate to lose all of these entries.

Mama Mia!

No FEAR

I did a lot of what I said I would yesterday. I even planted some new plants in the planter in the front yard and watered. Norma, a rep from another college close by, called and asked me if I was still interested in seeing the movie "Mama Mia". I told her yes I was. So we decided to go to the newly added on theater at the mall. It just opened July 18th. They also put in an AMC on the third floor. The movie was a chick flick and was VERY good. It was very entertaining. Dave would have hated it though. I was glad to have spared him.

I had never been there before since they had done the renovations. I parked... went into the mall... went up one set of escalators that lead to the second floor and a food court, I had to walk around to the next set of escalators to get to the second floor. I was so busy looking at all that was new I didn't take note of the glass and openness to the escalator area. I stepped onto the escalator and THEN I noticed. All of a sudden I could see down to the first floor. I have a fear of heights that I tend to forget I have. Have you heard of anyone like that?

While I am riding the escalator I am doing a lot of self talk, such as "don't look down, look ahead", "you ride these all the time, just because this one is in mid air is no big deal", "the ride will be over soon" etc. I can feel my hands, feet, and lots of other parts start to tingle with panic. I added another thought "this feeling is stupid". Ok, then I made it to the top and stepped off. I walk up to Norma who could see my face. I explained that I am a little afraid of heights. I can fly. I can even right in glass elevators such as the Space Needle. I can handle on flight of stairs. But two, I seem to not do well. Why? I have no idea.

A couple of years ago we went to visit a lighthouse. I was so excited. Just like a kid, I ran up all the stairs to the top. All was well. When it was time to go, Dave went down the stairs with Aaron. I took a couple of steps and I froze. I tried it again watching only the wall so I could see through the steps below. I froze again. I couldn't turn around or go down. Dave called up to me and I said "You guys better get up here" I could hear both Dave and Aaron trying both to climb the slim staircase at the same time. They couldn't get past each other. I stood up on the stairs frozen, except for my eyes which were rolling because of the scene below. I had to put my hand on Dave's shoulder and follow him down. His body blocked the view. I guess going up into the Statue of Liberty might be not a good idea for me if I ever found myself there. Will it stop me from going to that theater to see a movie? No. Even though there is an elevator, I would try to over come the fear. After all, I made it once already. :-)

Norma and I then had dinner at the Olive Garden. I chose to have a salad since I had to make up for my veggie portions today. I've also had a lot of ice tea. We will see if I can get to sleep but I love ice tea.

Monday... Monday... So Good to Me :-)

Summer Mondays Off

The entire month of August I have each Monday off. Last Monday I went with Renee to Bellevue to go shopping at Goodwill. An idea that paid off :-) Next week I am going to Ellensburg (in the middle of Washington state) to Central University to give support to Renee while she has a job interview. She left our college to go back to work at Central. But they had to create the job to get her back. All last year she was the "interim" and she has to interview for the position now. There isn't any reason that she wouldn't get the position unless someone was a better "fit" (which I can't see happening since she has worked with them a total of 9 years). So, today and the 26th are mine alone! I was so excited about that option that I woke up early just to have more of it. No use sleeping it away.

Auburn Good Ol Days fair is over. It was easy to get it packed up and taken back to the college. I actually got to walk around this time a little because there were three of us in the booth. So, I went to some of my favorite stores... one being an antique store. I found a few things. A book to read and some thing for Kari. For her birthday or Christmas. Birthday shopping is something I could do today. I have Dave's and Riley's this month (even though I have one myself). It is a busy month for birthdays.

So, I am going to end this post and get going. Picture me on the deck with ice tea in one hand and a book in the other. That is my goal today to relax. Maybe do this and that... when I want to do it.

Sunday

Sunday

As most of you know, I don't post usually on Sundays. I preschedule this notice ahead of time. I do know that I plan go to church and to work at the Auburn Good Ol Days booth for the college, take down the canopy, tables, and things. Then take it back to the college. I will have tomorrow off and I do not know what I will be doing. Probably just taking it easy. Norma a rep from another community college near by mentioned meeting at the new theater in town and seeing "Mama Mia" which is TOTALLY a chick flick. Have a great day!