Take Five - What is your life about

Please take five minutes and watch (and listen) to this video.  Thank you for sharing, Kelly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaYh-KN94Ko

Confessions

I've had wind storms for the past 7 days at my house.  I fear wind storms.  I realize that Mother Nature brings all of her glory with her when she arrives in the winter to the Pacific Northwest but wind storms?  I live on a bluff - not covered by much so I'm pretty sure I get the storms from Alaska (in eastern Washington).  In fact, when the wind hit 40 mph the other night, I felt like Dorothy and hello, I'm not in Kansas (and never have been). I will confess, I have the red heels.

Actually, this post isn't about my fears.  It is about my secret confession to be a beauty salon owner and stylist.  

It might have started when I was five years old.  I would comb my mom's hair.  I would comb my grandpa's hair and I would comb my own hair.  For hours.

A year before my grandma passed away, I would go to the care center once a week and either style or trim her hair.  I know I loved it more than she did. 

And don't kid yourself, women, you know who you are...you pick up a pair of tweezers or grooming shears and love to cut back those ear hairs and those nose hairs on your favorite partner.  Or, better yet, a straight edge disposable razor and remove the long stragglers on the neck line.

About ten years ago, my husband at the time (poor Mark, I'm sure that's one more reason why we aren't married now) had a mullet going on.  It was going to be weeks before he could get a haircut.  I said, "I can do it, we have a #2."  He was such an agreeable man. 

He sat down on the chair and I turned on the razor.  "Now, Barb, all you have to do is go from front to back."  

"OK," with excitement in my eyes.

It seemed to be going quite well until I realized I had turned the razor upside down.  Yikes.  I think he could see the fear in my eyes when I attempted to comb over the existing hair with the bald spot that I had just created.  "Um, you may have to take over."

He got up from the chair and looked in the mirror.  He agreed.  A comb over wasn't going to do the trick.  

Mark was bald that summer.   PS, We are still great friends despite the comb over (I mean, the break up).  

My mom and I have a special relationship.  Since I am a limited edition (and she is thankful every day she only had one of me), my mom and I spend quite a bit of time together.  On Thanksgiving, I noticed that she looked a bit tired (and whenever someone says you look tired...it's not a good thing) and her hair hadn't been primped in awhile (the entire family goes to the same hairdresser, Steve).  Another confession, I have cut my own hair in the past and I've seen other hairdressers - and don't kid yourself...you have too.

I texted my mom Friday (I love that my mom texts) and told her I had a surprise for her and I would meet her at my house after work.  

When she arrived later that day, I had a box of hair color laying on the table (an auburn/medium brown), makeup and calming lotion (yes, they make it).  

My mom is shy.  She gazed at the table full of beauty products. "What are we doing tonight?"  I said, "I think you need a pick me up."  

And she said in her polite manner, "I think you may need a pick me up."

She was right and I confess,  I did.  I put on my apron and went to town...on her hair. 

 

BEFORE

AFTER

Commence. A week of Thanksgiving around the world

Thanksgiving in North America had originated from a mix of European and Native traditions. Typically in Europe, festivals were held before and after the harvest cycles to give thanks for a good harvest and to rejoice together after much hard work with the rest of the community. 

At the time, Native Americans had also celebrated the end of a harvest season. When Europeans first arrived to the Americas, they brought with them their own harvest festival traditions from Europe, celebrating their safe voyage, peace and good harvest.

The origin of the first Thanksgiving in Canada goes back to the explorer, Martin Frobisher, who had been trying to find a northern passage to the Pacific Ocean. Frobisher's Thanksgiving celebration was not for harvest, but in thanks for surviving the long journey from England through the perils of storms and icebergs. 

Most days, I wake up and ask myself, "what am I thankful for today?" There are about seven items that come to mind:

1. My health

2. My family and friends

3. My job

4. My faith

5. Frankie and Cooper

6. My home (when I don't have to shovel snow)

7. Peace (at least in my little neck of the world)

At this time of year there are seven other items I am thankful for:

1. I don't eat turkey

2. I'm not a turkey

3. I am not a sitting member of the Super Committee

4  My aunt called and said she is making turkey and I am invited to her house

5. I have the day off

6. I am working on Black Friday

And number 7.  I don't eat tofurkey nor have I ever eaten tofurkey.

Please take time and express your gratitude this week and let the Thanksgiving festivities commence. 

Buying a car...Barb style

Did I need a new car?

No.

Did I want to help stimulate our economy?

That is the answer I am sticking with.

I set out to test drive a few cars.  Normally, I would find one that I adore and sign the papers but this time I was going to be adult about it and take a few for a test drive.

Luckily, I know a few fine folks at Foothills Lincoln Mazda in Spokane and they let me take a few cars for a few days and I was able to really test drive them.

First one, a Lincoln MKX.  Very pretty.  A 2008 black beauty. 

Second one, a Mazda CX9.  Very sporty.  A 2011 black beauty.  (Do you see a pattern)

I love SUVs but when I asked my dear friends about these two cars I received several comments:  You realize Lincolns are for old people?  The piping on the inside looks like a race car.  This is big...are you sure you can parallel park it.  Why do you need seven seats? And finally, one of the best, why get a new car anyway...your car is only two years old?

So, the real question...why do I need a new car? 

People take lots of pride in driving up in their brand new vehicle, but all too often people purchase cars that they can’t afford.  They do it more for image, status, and pure ego.  In the long run what they end up doing is robbing themselves of savings.  The first thing a person needs to ask is: Why Do I Think I Need A New Car?

• My car is too old
• My car is too ugly
• My car is about to break down
• The repairs are costing too much
• I need dependability
• I’ve had this car too long
• I don’t want it to depreciate much more

And the list goes on.  I've heard a lot of silly reasons as well, but it is usually because the person is saying anything they can to get into a new car.  Bottom line, I had 60,000 miles on my car.  I didn't need a new car at all.  I wanted one.

So, my third test drive.  A 2011 Silver Metallic Mazda CX7.  A bit smaller, bug deflector (very important), a Yakima rack (for what I am not sure) and a hitch for my bike rack (the most important thing).  Actually, that is coming...the rack needs to be put on.  See...it wasn't a perfect car.  However, it has a camera for my rear driving that I do (I try to stay away from that), blue tooth (which actually echoes and sounds like I am in a gas chamber and bun warmers.  

Done.  Purchased.  Who says "third time isn't a charm?"

I am a new owner of a new car.  I love America. Oh, that's right Ford sold Mazda. Or, did they?

Amidst the world financial crisis in the fall of 2008, reports emerged that Ford was contemplating a sale of its stake in Mazda as a way of streamlining its asset base. BusinessWeek explained the alliance between Ford and Mazda has been a very successful one, with Mazda saving perhaps $90 million a year in development costs and Ford "several times" that, and that a sale of its stake in Mazda would be a desperate measure. On November 18, 2008, Ford announced that it would be selling a 20% stake in Mazda, bringing its stake to 13.4%, and surrendering control of the company. The following day, Mazda announced that, as part of the deal, it was buying back 6.8% of its shares from Ford. It was also reported that Hisakazu Imaki would be stepping down as chief executive, to be replaced by Takashi Yamanouchi. On November 18, 2010, Ford reduced their stake further to just 3%, citing the reduction of ownership would allow greater flexibility to pursue growth in emerging markets. Ford and Mazda remain strategic partners through joint ventures and exchanges of technological information. Nice work guys.

Music Lessons

I love to sing.  I sing in the shower.  I sing in the car.  I sing at the gym. I sing in the grocery store.  I tend to make up lyrics and often times words and my beat and rhythm are spot on...in my mind. 

Actually, my mom asks me quite a bit if I flunked choir in high school.  I started singing in elementary school - I believe it was mandatory.  You know, the recitals and the plays?  Remember, the Christmas pageants and spring concerts?

I participated in all of them from elementary school to junior high and on into high school, I learned tons of songs.  The one's I remember the most were, "Frosty the Snowman" and "Edelweiss." Yes, I learned a pleothra of music however I didn't quite have the pipes for the Spokane Children's Choir (actually had to bow out and become a board member) nor did I try or get accepted to Juilliard School of Dance, Drama and Music however I do love to sing.  (By the way, I always wanted to be a soprano...but I am not...I am a proud alto). 

My father played the piano.  He was good.  My mom played the piano.  She was good.  

I took lessons.  I wasn't too good.  In fact, my piano teacher said I should try a new instrument. 

So, I picked up a piccolo. It was a bit embarrassing at the time. (PS, I still have it).  

Now that I am older, I find that it shouldn't of been embarrassing at all.  Heck, the piccolo (Italian for small) is a half-size flute, and a member of the woodwind family of musical instruments. The piccolo has the same fingerings as its larger sibling, the standard transverse flute, but the sound it produces is an octave higher than written. This gave rise to the name "ottavino," the name by which the instrument is referred to in the scores of Italian composers. John Philip Sousa wrote the famous solo in the final repeat of the closing section (trio) of his march "The Stars and Stripes Forever."

For those of you who know me, I have quite a bit of air.  In junior high, I picked up the trumpet and decided to give it a whirl.  It wasn't the saxophone...which is the "coolest" of the horns but it appeared to be lighter for me to carry/hold.  I played in the city band.  Yes, everyone, the city band.  

I was proud to play the trumpet (I don't have it anymore).  The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. 

So, why do I tell you about my music lessons?  I think everyone should try one or two.  Why?  

Music brings people together.  It allows us to experience emotions.  And, above all music gives us soul.  

Music leads to singing, dancing and eating.  

It brings spirit to the world.  

5 weekends, 4 rides, 3 events, 2 funerals and a wedding

Today marks Columbus Day.  I know this because I am fortunate enough to have today off.  I work in the financial industry and no, I'm not a high priced exec on Wall Street.

I had a post already to go yesterday and after an hour of writing, it was no where to be found.  Very similar to Christopher Columbus.  I was surprised when I clicked to Google this morning and they didn't have a picture of the man who looks like a woman or any of the apparati he may have used to navigate his expedition. 

According to Wikipedia:  he was an explorer, colonizer, and navigator, born in the Republic of Genoa, in northwestern Italy. Under the auspices of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, he completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean that led to general European awareness of the American continents in the Western Hemisphere. Those voyages, and his efforts to establish permanent settlements in the island of Hispaniola, initiated the process of Spanish colonization, which foreshadowed the general European colonization of the "New World."  

So, today, Columbus Day, is officially a day when the people of the USA are invited to celebrate the anniversary of the discovery of their country with church services and other activities. Most celebrations are concentrated around the Italian-American community.  In Hawaii, Columbus Day is also known as Landing Day or Discoverers' Day. 

The last five weekends I have traveled on the road and was unable to blog.  I know some of you missed me, and I am sure many of you didn't but I thought it might be fun to share where I've been and the journey I took to get there. Let's call it, "My little Columbus Journey."

The last few weekends mark the end to summer and the start of the Fall season.  Why not start it out with a trip to Seattle?

• University of Washington vs. Eastern Eagles.  We showed up in full force that day in Seattle. Not only was it sunny, some say, the bluest skies are found in Seattle, but we fought hard and were just three points shy of coming out of Husky Stadium with a "W."   Go eagles!  I had some time to take in a few sites and cycled along the waterfront and the piers.

• Next up, another weekend on the coast to attend a funeral of a colleague from work and Lake Limerick to visit family.  My mom was a real trooper on this trip as I drug her to the North Bend Outlet Mall.  Thanks mom for going on another road trip with me (weeks prior we went to Tekoa, Washington for my 94 year old great aunt Fern's funeral.  A little known fact...my aunt is the reigning watermelon seed spitting champion (not in the Guinness Book of Records mind you but Tekoa). 

• A bachelorette party in Anaconda, Montana for my friend, Michelle, was on the docket for the following weekend.  Let's just say, "what happens in Anaconda, Montana stays in Anaconda, Montana.  One hint, it involved the electric slide."

• A quick visit six days later to Yakima, Washington for a bike ride and a winery visit to Windy Slopes.  Nice people there at Windy Slopes.  Mike and his wife, Liz, have created a well-liked and respected winery.  Mike brings more than 35 years of farming experience to the vineyard, along with a hard-earned reputation for producing fruit of the very highest standard. As the winemaker, Liz has worked hard to produce the best quality wine, which has been represented by the awards she has earned on her 2004 Syrah, 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon and her Cabernet Franc/Merlot blend, Exclamation Point! 

•  The summer wouldn't be complete without attending the actual wedding of my friend Michelle.  Michelle and Scott Morley were married on October 1 in a beautiful church, St. Timothy's, in Georgetown Lake, Montana.  The groomsmen wore kilts.  They told us they weren't baring it all however only one of them showed us his bloomers.  The bridesmaids (of which I was one), donned in crimson (in honor of the University of Montana Grizzlies - Michelle's alma mater).  It was tough to wear Griz colors but the dress was so darn beautiful, I was honored to do it.

And, so my adventures continue.  I am packing to leave for Washington DC tomorrow.  I won't be sailing the oceans blue like Christopher Columbus did but will be flying the friendly skies.

Take in the aromas of the season.  Enjoy the colors, the crisp nights and the beauty of your journey.

Wheelchair bound, anyone?

My mom and I traveled to Seattle this weekend.  We headed over for a quick trip; hit a funeral, visited relatives, saw an old college roommate and shopped the premium outlet mall in North Bend.  

My mom is 71 years old.  Her mind is keen and she is spry however she needs a hip replacement...about 10 years past due.  

I realize I am not the parent in this relationship but as her one and only limited edition (only child), I think it would be wise if she'd hang up the cane and either get a motorized scooter or invest in the 21st century tools available for ailing knees, hips and other body parts where they stiffen up and stop working after 4 pm.

I admire her tenacity and her ability to care for the elderly.  She volunteers four times a week for a senior care center and believe it or not, some of them can run, she, on the other hand cannot.  It happened several years ago.  I've asked her if she had polio as a child or if she was born with one short leg but she can't recall.  Did you fall?  Did you go to the doctor?  PS, she hasn't had a physical in 40 years.

On this very sunny day in North Bend, a community nestled under Mt. Si, mom and I were on a mission to shop.  I told her we'd check out a wheelchair.  "Really, I've never been in a wheelchair," she said.  "Well, you've never seen me power shop through a mall before either."  My mom eats really slow (great for digestion - not so great as a slow walker).  

I placed her in the wheelchair and we were off.  First stop, a nice undergarment shop.  The door (not wide enough for a wheelchair), needed to be open on both sides.  One of the nice attendants noticed we were having a bit of trouble and jumped to our rescue.  

This happened over and over again.

The aisles were narrow.  We were unable to navigate most stores. 

The parents with strollers.  Same thing.

Just a bit of advice store owners...we purchase items.  We stimulate the economy.

Why don't you accommodate for special needs?

All of us will have aging parents.  

Ask the question.  

"Mom, will you please get a hip replacement?"  I want you to walk on your own.  I don't want to place you in a stroller.  Your too old for that.

I will step down off my parent soapbox and say, "mom, I had fun."