Charlie's Strange and Happy World

My sister Marilyn mistressmarilyn (whom I live with), my friend and neighbor June and I are participating in our local Komen 'Race for the Cure' this coming Sunday. We'll be taking part in the women's 5k walk.

I've never done anything 'organized' like this before. But Marilyn's done several walks/runs. I'm personally very excited!

Marilyn's been very busy at work this week. Her first week assuming the role of 'boss' for her organization -- her former boss has 'moved on.'

Today she managed to work a nine hour day. But the rest of the week was all ten hour days without a break. (sigh)

But she's hanging in really well -- and I'm very proud of her. Still, it's a tough thing and I'm glad the weekend is here and she can have a few days away from the office.

I went in and helped out on Thursday, working on the upcoming auction. I'm pretty pleased with the way I helped organize the items. It went well. By the end of the day both Marilyn and Jenny were helping me out -- the three of us worked until around 7 p.m. A long and tiring day, but very satisfying.

Today June and I headed over to the Convention Center to pick up our bibs, t-shirts and commenorative pins for the event on Sunday. They were having a Health Expo in connection with the event. Originally this morning June sounded totally disinterested in attending the expo. She was all for just picking up our stuff and leaving. (This via a phone call.) I decided not to argue, seeing as she would be driving us there. But I've been to other such pre-race events with Marilyn and was feeling rather disappointed we were going to miss out on all the free goodies and interactions with others!

I had the feeling that June didn't want to go at all. I told her she could certainly pick up her things on the event day at the race, but that I was going over today regardless. (With an estimated 10,000 participants, I wasn't about to try and get our packets on Sunday!) She wasn't too thrilled with that idea, so over we went.

And naturally when we got there and she saw all the fun and freebies, she was all over it! (smile) Yes, June loves freebies! So we were there for hours and it was me finally encouraging her to leave. (Irony, thy name is June...)

Marilyn and I are walking so we can wear Patsy's name. She's our sister Sue's best friend who is currently in treatment for breast cancer. Sue went with Patsy to her chemo treatment yesterday. It didn't go well. They had to give her some kind of medication to 'boost' her blood, I guess. A few years back they'd have had to put her in isolation in the hospital to avoid infection, so I guess it's not as bad as it sounds -- even though the shot cost a couple grand. (I think Sue said it was covered, but Patsy has no insurance so every single treatment is an issue.)

Sue's been amazing with Patsy. An incredible support. I'm really proud of her.

Especially considering Sue has quite a few issues of her own right now...

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Anyway, got tons of wonderful goodies at the Expo. It was a terrific experience being in that room full almost entirely of women! (Yes, there were some men, too. But it was probably 90% women.) There was this feeling of... affirmation, I guess.

And I'm so outgoing (almost outrageously so) that I always have a good time when I can mingle and interact with others, of either gender.

I love talking to people. I can get close to total strangers within minutes of meeting them.

It's an interesting thing, in light of how shy I was as a child/youth. No one can ever believe that if I (or someone else) tells them that these days. It would be like telling them the sun revolves around the earth, or something. (smile)

Thursday I went over to the Honeybaked Ham restaurant in John's Landing near Marilyn's office to get a salad. I've only been there perhaps four times, total, but the woman who works in the kitchen area making the sandwiches always remembers me and makes a point to try and talk to me, in her broken English. Thursday she was working on another order, so she made the fellow who was making my salad go back and add more cheese to my Caesar salad. (smile) It's so sweet and touching. Imagine being able to have that kind of impact on someone, just by being friendly and talking warmly to them? Sometimes I'm amazed by it.

But for the most part I just love other people. (In spite of the 'stinkers' who are out there.) I love that moment of interaction. It's difficult to put into words how I feel, I guess...

This is now too long for words! Sorry! I'm stopping.

More about the Race later. I can't wait! (And I didn't even share the things I bought yet!)

(grin)

I didn't even mention that I got several items from the Expo event to make a wonderful 'Goodie Bag' for Patsy. I started to say that at one point and got totally off on a tangent. (smile)

Here's another interesting note, by the way! There were lots of bowls and boxes, etc. of freebies/goodies at each table. I'd often ask if I could take and 'extra' of whatever it was -- either for Marilyn. (I'd explain that she'd be at the race, but had to work today.) Or for Patsy -- I'd explain that she was in treatment and too ill to participate.

I can't tell you how many people would thank me for asking -- or comment on it. Most of the people there would just grab a handful -- or more than one item, anyway -- of whatever was there, without saying a word. As if they were entitled to take more than one, just because the items were free. Interesting attitude, isn't it?

Can't wait to send all those goodies to Patsy... Fun items like a 'stress reducer' made of soft rubber in the shape of a pink ribbon that you can squeeze in your hand. Clever! I'm giving Patsy mine and Marilyn's sending her's to Sue.

Happy First Birthday to Joey!

His Mom, Debra debrajoy has a special journal for him: joeybearsmommy.

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I hope pictures will eventually surface from his party... (Hard to tell, though.) You know! Those face-in-the-cake type pictures! (smile)

Drove down to the beach this morning. Our goal was actually to go shopping at the really nice Ross store just outside Astoria.

Marilyn mistressmarilyn got that Jones New York black leather jacket she'd seen when we were down there with sister Sue. (For a moment we both thought they sold out of them, as they'd moved the racks since we'd last been there!)

I got a couple of nice tops dirt cheap. (One was under $6, for example.) Marilyn got two full-length gowns, either of which would work for wearing to the Auction in October. One is off one shoulder and a stunning shade of pink--very close to the exact pink that's the Auction color this year! (Wouldn't that be perfect?) The other is purple with spaghetti straps, and equally lovely on her.

I got a nice dressy-type pants suit of brown rayon. Light-weight and comfortable. Not to compare with my pants suit of last year that was black pants with a beaded red top in a slightly Eastern style. (I got so many compliments -- mainly because I was one of the only people who hadn't gone with a black outfit!) (smile)

But I also bought a lovely see-through blouse cut beautifully that could be worn over either one of my many black bras -- or my spaghetti strapped deep pink top. Then I'd just need to get a new pair of dress black pants. (Unless one of my older pair would do.)

I have some very kick-ass heels from last year that I'll wear again. They're boot-heels, studded and very sexy/shocking! I wore them about half the time last year. (Until my feet gave out.) Then I changed to dressy sandals. That's my same plan for this year, by the way. (I love to mingle and work the crowd while wearing them, but when I have to 'go to work' I prefer to be comfortable in flats of some kind.)

We're exactly three weeks away from the Auction, by the way! (Time flies when you're having fun.) We can really breathe more easily once that's out of the way.

And Marilyn has a lot on her plate right now, taking over for the Executive Director of her non-profit until they hire his replacement. She's retaining her own title of Associate Executive Director -- rather than 'Acting Executive Director' -- which I think is quite smart of her.

The 'head hunter' was hired this past week and appears to be a very savvy, no-nonsense woman who has been doing this work forever and a day.

The weather was wonderful today! Warm and very sunny -- total blue skies -- in the best Fall tradition. We have amazing Indian Summers in the Pacific Northwest as a rule. We decided to rate the day a 10. (grin)

It was warm and lovely at the beach -- which is always a delight here. The Oregon coast can easily be overcast, misty, drizzly, rainy, cold, etc.

Today was a perfect Oregon beach day.

We had clam chowder at one of our favorite Seaside restaurants. Served with delicious hunks of 'Beer Bread.'

Our Race -- yes, yes, we're walking and not racing -- starts at 9:00 a.m. tomorrow, so we don't need to leave here until 8:00. (And that's mainly to find parking near the Start.)

Going by Marilyn's number, they must be expecting around 25,000 participants. Marilyn did this race several years ago and said it's just a mass of humanity. She ran then, but said that everyone -- runners and walkers -- end up together all over the route, in spite of staggered start times.

Still, I'm looking forward to it!

Marilyn and I had several lovely discussions on the drive down. We talked over the situation at work, where people have been very supportive and considerate toward her. (Deservedly so, in my opinion.) We gassed the car with the 'corporate card' for the first time today. It's a small benefit of her current role, but still a nice one!

The Association has been in financial straits for some time and really on that proverbial 'shoestring' budget. We got word this week that the Boise River Festival where a friend works had to declare bankruptcy -- and all operations there will cease as of this coming Monday. Awful!

But lay-offs in the Special Events Industry have been going on for years now. And many festivals/events have gone under. Marilyn is determined to see the Association stick to budget, regardless of the need to spend money on a nationwide search for the new Exec. Good for her!

Meanwhile, we've been trying to 'cut back' a bit on our personal spending. No trips again for us before March/April, at the earliest. Not that we're all that into trips, anyway. We love our home and consider it a 'vacation' to simply have time to be there and enjoying the house and yard.

We do love shopping, though! Getting new clothes. But it beats the days when Marilyn needed to shop quite 'upscale' for her role at work. She manages to still dress well and be stylish while doing so via places like Ross, Old Navy, Target, the Jones New York sales stores, etc. And her purses are often cheap but cute ones that she buys for a song.

Have I raved about the product 'Hard as Hoof' here prior to this? If not, I certainly should have! As a former nailbiter, I have terribly thin fingernails that have never grown decently. I've been using that cream -- it comes in a small jar -- at least once or twice each day, and it's worked wonders for my nails. They've actually gotten thicker and healthier. If you've ever wished you could grow long(er) nails, then give it a try. Trust me, I'd never steer you wrong. And I've tried about every nail product on the market over the years, too. (sigh)

I look down at my nails and smile and think how pleased my Mom would be. She also had long nails and made an effort to keep them nice. Marilyn's had lovely nails forever and a day. And Sue goes to a manicurist now and keeps her nails just so. But I was the one with short nails and bad cuticles. Now I make an effort at both manicures and pedicures. I can't afford to get them done, so I do them myself.

I'm a little nervous about getting a pedicure, anyway. I don't want anyone scrapping on my feet! I have issues and don't need my feet messed up.

Well, it's past nine and we should have another small bite to eat. Lunch was great, but we'll need some fuel for the walk tomorrow, short as it is. I also need to make our 'signs' to wear in Patsy's honor.

Hope all is well with my (very quiet) friends!